He spoke a day after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council in Qatar to reassure them of America’s commitment to their security in the wake of the deal, which gives Iran broad sanctions relief in exchange for guarantees it won’t build a nuclear bomb.
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In an interview with the Associated Press, Khalid Al Attiyah said he was confident that the event would take place, despite a series of investigations being carried out by US and Swiss authorities into corruption at Federation Internationale de Football Association, the body that decides where World Cups are hosted. “There can be absolutely no question that the Vienna plan, if implemented, will make Egypt and all the countries of this region safer than they otherwise would be”. Cooperation had been suspended during the chaos of the revolutions and Mohammad Mursi government, but the US is willing to work with the government of President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi, and Kerry commented that US-Egyptian relations were returning to a “stronger base”. “This is reassuring to the region”.
Al-Attiyah is the minister of foreign affairs for Qatar, a position similar to the United States’ Secretary of State. Except for Oman, a crucial player in negotiations with Iran, each country had previously expressed reservations about the agreement, in particular the possibility Iran could use previously frozen funds to further destabilize nearby Yemen, Iraq and Syria. “We are serious about doing reforms”, he said.
The Gulf states have welcomed the deal despite deep-seated mistrust of Iran, a non-Arab, Shiite power that they see as increasingly assertive through its support for sympathizers and militant groups throughout the region.
Among the steps under discussion are developing a ballistic missile defense capability, expediting arms transfers, special forces training, maritime and cyber security programs and a significant boost in intelligence sharing, Kerry said.
The Russian foreign ministry said Lavrov was visiting Qatar to discuss peace moves in Syria, Yemen and Libya, global consolidation against ISIL, stability in the Gulf, and bilateral relations between Russia and Qatar.
In a column published Monday in Lebanon’s Arabic daily As-Safir, Zarif called on Arab countries to work with Tehran for the good of the region.
In Doha on Monday, Kerry was also meeting separately with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir to discuss Syria.
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In talks with Shoukry, Kerry also raised the issue of human rights and pressed Egypt on the arrests of dissidents and journalists and mass trials.
