Tehran has gained a large platform to advertise its military capabilities.
Iran, Russia and representatives of the Taliban group participated in an arms exhibition in Qatar, which is a nominal US ally. Fox News reports this.
It noted that Iran appeared at the Qatar arms show, “having a large platform to advertise its military capabilities, although Doha continues to emphasize its defense and strategic partnership with the United States.” The country was among several nations hostile to the United States. This raised concerns that Qatar might be helping America’s enemies arm themselves.
“It’s not surprising that Qatar invited Iran, Russia and other countries. I even heard that the Taliban sent a delegation there for a defense exhibition. So it is, in many ways, typical of Qatar to be open to everyone,” said a senior fellow at the Institute. War Studies Matt McInnis.
In doing so, he said, it will undoubtedly increase concerns among the United States and other partners about the role Qatar potentially plays in facilitating arms sales and the proliferation of more sophisticated weapons that come from places like Iran and Russia.
“I think this is something that the US was not happy with, but at the same time it is generally normal for the course for Qatar to be such a host,” McInnis said.
Qatar and the war in Ukraine
In 2023, it became known that Qatar would help Ukraine return children abducted by Russia.
President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky, during a conversation with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, acknowledged the country’s significant mediating role in the return of Ukrainian children illegally deported to the Russian Federation.
Subsequently, it became known that Russia would release six Ukrainian children after the mediation of Qatar. Assistant Foreign Minister of Qatar Lolwa Al-Khater noted that the latest cases of family reunification are “part of her country’s ongoing work in response to the request of the Russian Federation and Ukraine to identify and explore potential areas of cooperation.”
