Iranian (L) and Qatari (R) parliamentary speakers meet in Turkey

Iranian and Qatari parliament speakers met on the sidelines of the General Assembly of the Asian Parliament (APA) emphasizing the development of economic relations between the two countries.

Iran Press/Asia: Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani met with Ahmed Bin Abdallah Bin Zaid Al-Mahmoud, speaker of the Qatari Shura Council on the sideline of the 12th Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) in Antalya in Turkey.

"We see your role in the region as positive. Unfortunately, the sanctions against you were outrageous, but you resisted well and your tactics did not isolate you," Ali Larijani said.

Emphasizing consultation over critical issues between the two sides, Iran's parliament speaker added, "We are also interested in developing economic relations with you".

"Many Iranian businessmen are interested in working with you," Larijani noted, "We welcome any proposal to develop relations between the two countries."

For his part, Bin Abdallah Bin Zaid Al-Mahmoud said, "You have acted brotherly and honestly against cruel sanctions against us." 

"I remember the president of Iran at the outset of the Qatari crisis emphasizing that the Islamic Republic of Iran would not accept these sanctions".

The head of the Qatar Shura Council said that his respective country had passed the boycott phase, saying that Qatar's progress and development index improved during the boycott period compared to other countries in the region.

"We did not accept any of the 13 conditions," he said.

Referring to 13 conditions set by the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states to end Qatar sanctions, Abdallah Bin Zaid Al-Mahmoud added, the members of the GCC had announced the conditions for lifting Qatar's sanctions, one of which was to cut ties with Iran. 

"But we did not accept any of the 13. In fact, we are looking for unconditional negotiations."

"We have repeatedly said that we do not sacrifice Palestinian interests and that the Palestinian people must determine their own destiny and we are in their sides," Ahmed Bin Abdallah Bin Zaid Al-Mahmoud said.

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