US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Saturday and discussed US support for Qatar‘s defense as well as continued coordination to promote stability and security across the Middle East.
In a post on the US social media platform X, Rubio said he met with the Qatari premier to discuss “U.S. support for Qatar’s defense,” adding that the partnership between Washington and Doha is important for “deterring threats and promoting stability in the Middle East.”
US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said Rubio expressed appreciation for Qatar’s partnership on a range of issues during the meeting and highlighted the importance of close cooperation to deter threats in the region.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry said in a statement on X that Sheikh Mohammed called on the parties to respond to Pakistan-led ongoing mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran.
Sheikh Mohammed “expressed the need for all parties to respond to the ongoing mediation efforts, which would open the way for addressing the root causes of the crisis through peaceful means and dialogue, and lead to reaching a comprehensive agreement that achieves sustainable peace in the region,” the ministry said.
The meeting comes amid diplomatic efforts related to Iran and regional security.
Earlier Saturday, Axios reported that Rubio and White House Envoy Steve Witkoff met the Qatari premier in Miami as part of efforts to secure an agreement to end the war in Iran, citing sources.
The US and Iran are currently discussing a one-page memorandum aimed at ending the conflict and creating a framework for more comprehensive negotiations. According to the report, Qatar has been playing a key mediating role between the two sides.
Although Pakistan has served as the official mediator between Washington and Tehran since the war began, the Qataris have reportedly been operating “behind the scenes.”
The report said that the White House considers Qatar to be “especially effective” in negotiations with Iran.
Sheikh Mohammed met with Vice President JD Vance in Washington on Friday. The report said he had planned to return directly to Doha but instead changed his itinerary and traveled to Florida.
While in Miami, he also spoke with the Saudi foreign minister about the mediation efforts, the report added.
According to the report, the meeting centered on efforts to finalize a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war.
