Ghalibaf, Araghchi Among Top Iranian Officials In Qatar For Talks On War, Frozen Funds

Last Updated:May 25, 2026, 23:01 IST

This marked the first senior Iranian visit to the region since the start of the war in West Asia.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were among top Iranian officials who arrived in Qatar on Monday for talks focused on the war with the US and the release of frozen Iranian funds, according to a source briefed on the matter who spoke to AFP.

The delegation also included Iran’s central bank governor. This marked the first senior Iranian visit to the region since the start of the war in West Asia, which saw Tehran launch thousands of drones and missiles across the Gulf — including at Qatar.

The source told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity, that the visit is part of ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the conflict. The talks are expected to focus on “issues relating to the Strait of Hormuz and highly enriched uranium," along with the mechanism for unfreezing Iranian funds under any potential agreement framework.

Iranian media, including Tasnim and Fars news agencies, confirmed the delegation’s composition, while state-run IRNA called the trip as part of a broader diplomatic process. IRNA said the officials are also expected to meet Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani during the visit.

According to IRNA, the trip is intended to test Washington’s seriousness in pursuing a truce deal before Tehran commits to further steps. It also said some US obligations under a possible agreement could be implemented with Qatar’s involvement.

Qatar has previously hosted Iranian funds, including around $6 billion transferred from South Korea in 2023 under a separate arrangement linked to prisoner exchanges. Those funds were later frozen again as tensions escalated following the Gaza war, sparked after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

The latest visit marks a broader shift in mediation efforts, with Qatar increasingly active alongside Pakistan in facilitating backchannel talks between Tehran and Washington.

Pakistan has so far played a central mediating role in negotiations aimed at de-escalating the war and reopening key maritime routes, but Qatar’s involvement has expanded in recent weeks through direct engagement with both US and Iranian officials.

(With inputs from AFP)

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