Iranian Vice President Mohsen Rezaee, Wanted By Interpol For Involvement In 1994 AMIA Bombing In Buenos Aires, Visited Qatar And Met With Its Leaders

Iranian Vice President for Economic Affairs Mohsen Rezaee is currently on an official visit to Qatar, where he has met with government officials, including Qatari Emir Tamim Bin Hamad Aal Thani, to discuss developing the economic ties between the two countries. Rezaee is wanted by both Argentina and Interpol for allegations of involvement in the July 18, 1994 bombing in Buenos Aires, Argentina that targeted the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina,  a Jewish community center, in which 85 people were killed and over 300 were wounded. Rezaee was the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) at the time. According to the French news agency AFP, after confirming Rezaee's presence in Qatar Argentina's foreign ministry "requested the collaboration of Interpol for Rezaee's arrest," and Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero "instructed the Argentine ambassador in Doha to communicate urgently with the Qatari Foreign Ministry and report on the situation."[1]

It should be noted that Qatar maintains extensive relations with Iran that include frequent mutual visits by the leaders of the two countries. Last week, for example, the Qatari Emir met with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on the periphery of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Astana, Kazakhstan.[2] 

Mohsen Rezaee with the Qatari Emir (Al-Raya, Qatar, October 18, 2022)

This report reviews the meetings held by Mohsen Rezaee in Qatar.

As stated, on October 17, 2022 Rezaee met with the Qatari Emir, Tamim Bin Hamad Aal Thani. According to the Qatari news agency, Rezaee "conveyed the greetings of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his wishes of good health and happiness to the Emir and of development and prosperity to the Qatari people. The Emir conveyed wishes of good health to Raisi and of continued development and prosperity to the Iranian people. The meeting dealt with the cooperation between the countries and the ways to tighten and develop them, and several other topics of mutual interest."[3]  After the meeting Rezaee tweeted: "In the meeting with Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Aal Thani, the Emir of the friendly country of Qatar, I stressed Iran's sincere determination to develop the cooperation [between the countries] and promote [Iran's] neighborly policy.[4] The Qatari Emir called to expand the relations between the two sides in various spheres with stress on the historic and cultural partnership [between them]."[5]  

Rezaee's tweet

Rezaee also met with Qatari Prime Minister Khalid Bin Khalifa Bin 'Abd Al-'Aziz, and discussed the tightening and enhancement of the economic and trade cooperation between Tehran and Doha.[6] In the meeting Rezaee noted that "developing the bilateral economic ties will benefit both peoples."[7]

Rezaee in meeting with Qatari Prime Minister (Al-Sharq, Qatar, October 18, 2022)

In his meeting with the Qatari transportation minister, Jassim bin Saif Al-Sulaiti, the two discussed "ways to tighten the cooperation between the countries in the spheres of transportation, ports and civilian air traffic."[8] On October 17 Rezaee met with members of the Qatari Businessmen Association and stated that "Iran is working to develop the cooperation with Qatar in the spheres of trade and investments," and that Qatari investors can derive benefit from investing in Iran's industrial and commercial sectors. He proposed agricultural investment initiatives, especially in the sphere of wheat and corn, and stated that these initiatives will enable achieving autarky in this sphere for the Arab and Muslim countries. He praised the role played by the Qatari Businessmen Association in the mutual trade between the countries. [9]

Rezaee with members of the Qatari Businessmen Association and with the Qatari transportation minister (raya.com, al-sharq.com, October 17, 2022)

On the same day Rezaee also met with Qatar's  minister of commerce and industry, Muhammad Bin Hamad Bin Qassem Aal Thani, and participated in the inauguration of an international fair for Iranian goods in Qatar "intended to showcase the major Iranian industries and the products of Iranian companies in various spheres, especially foodstuffs, rugs, petroleum and natural gas products, petrochemicals, textiles and leather."[10]

Rezaee with Qatar's  minister of commerce and industry at the international fair for Iranian goods in Qatar (Al-Watan (Qatar), October 18, 2022)

On October 18 Rezaee visited Qatar's Hamad port and toured the facilities there.[11]

Rezaee visiting Qatar's Hamad port (Alsharq.com, October 18, 2022)