Washington, June 24: Two Republican senators in the United States have expressed concerns regarding the mediation roles of Qatar and Pakistan in ceasefire negotiations with Iran. They have accused both nations of supporting terrorism.
Senator Rick Scott alleged that Qatar and Pakistan harbor terrorists, stating that recent events have clarified who the real allies are. The Florida senator took to the social media platform X, saying, “By now, everyone should understand who our true friends are. Qatar and Pakistan have a long history of sheltering terrorists. They seem more focused on promoting Iran’s decades-old terrorist agenda than achieving a genuine and lasting peace.”
He added, “There is still room for an agreement that benefits all. However, it must be understood that the potential for Iran to develop nuclear weapons is zero in this process.”
Montana Senator Tim Sheehy also questioned Pakistan’s mediating role, recalling that Pakistan had sheltered Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden. He accused Qatar of facilitating financial transactions for terrorist organizations.
During a discussion on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends,” Sheehy stated that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Israel should also be included at the negotiation table. He emphasized that the U.S. should stand firmly with the UAE and Israel.
When asked if he had concerns about Qatar and Pakistan acting as mediators, Sheehy replied, “Yes, I have a problem. They may have a role, but if they are at the negotiation table, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Israel should be there too. Qatar has faced allegations for decades regarding financial arrangements for terrorist organizations. Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI, has aided insurgent groups against us and harbored bin Laden. Therefore, it is not reasonable to assume they would be impartial mediators.”
He further stated that the U.S. should support the UAE and Israel unconditionally, as they will remain crucial allies in any regional situation. These statements from both senators come at a time when Qatar and Pakistan have played mediating roles in U.S.-Iran discussions held in Switzerland.
On Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Baghaei announced that recent talks in Switzerland focused on ways to implement an agreement. He noted that both parties agreed to continue technical and expert-level discussions to effectively enforce the ceasefire agreement. He mentioned that the Iranian delegation is returning after discussing the provisions of the ceasefire agreement.
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