Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Jun 24: Two Republican senators in the United States have criticised the involvement of Qatar and Pakistan in mediation efforts related to the Iran ceasefire negotiations, alleging that both countries have long-standing links to terrorism and questioning their suitability as neutral intermediaries.
Senator Rick Scott of Florida said recent developments had exposed which nations could genuinely be considered reliable partners of the United States.
In a post on X, Scott accused both countries of prioritising Iran's interests over efforts to secure lasting peace.
“It should be clear to everybody by now who our friends really are. Qatar and Pakistan have long histories of harbouring terrorists, and right now they seem far more invested in propping up Iran’s decades-long terror campaign than achieving a meaningful peace,” he wrote.
He also reiterated Washington’s position that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.
“There is still room for a workable agreement that benefits everyone. However, everybody needs to understand that there is zero chance Iran comes out of this able to build a nuclear weapon,” Scott said.
Meanwhile, Senator Tim Sheehy of Montana also questioned Pakistan’s role in the diplomatic process, referring to the country's past association with Osama bin Laden, the founder of Al-Qaeda.
Speaking on Fox News' Fox & Friends, Sheehy said Qatar and Pakistan may have a role to play but should not be viewed as impartial mediators.
“I do. I think Qatar and Pakistan have a role to play, but if they're going to be at the table, we better have the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Israel there too,” he said.
He accused Qatar of supporting terrorist organisations financially and alleged that Pakistan's intelligence agency had previously backed insurgent groups.
“Qatar has been laundering money for terrorist organisations for decades. Pakistan, through its intelligence services, funded insurgencies against us and hid bin Laden. To assume they will be objective middlemen is not accurate,” Sheehy said.
The senator stressed that the United States should firmly align itself with the United Arab Emirates and Israel, describing them as key strategic partners in the region.
“We need to stand unequivocally with the UAE and Israel because they will remain our frontline partners in the region, regardless of what happens,” he added.
The remarks come amid reports that Qatar and Pakistan facilitated discussions between the United States and Iran in Switzerland as part of efforts to advance the implementation of a ceasefire arrangement.
On Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said the latest round of talks focused on developing mechanisms to implement the agreement and that expert-level discussions would continue.
He said both sides had agreed to pursue further technical consultations aimed at ensuring the effective implementation of the understanding reached to end hostilities.
According to Baqaei, the Iranian delegation has since returned home after concluding discussions on carrying out the provisions of the memorandum of understanding related to ending the conflict.