Iran-Israel Ceasefire: 5 times oil-rich Qatar played master mediator in global conflicts

Iran-Israel Ceasefire: Qatar, an independent Arab emirate on the west coast of the Persian Gulf, intervened on behalf of the President Donald Trump-led US administration and persuaded Iran to agree to a cease-fire with Israel, the New York Times reported on Monday (local time).

Trump announced on social media that a cease-fire was imminent after 12 days of military actions between the two nations in the Middle East.

“President Trump spoke with Qatar’s Emir and informed him the US got Israel to agree to the ceasefire. The president asked Qatar to help persuade Iran for the same, following which vice president JD Vance coordinated with Qatar’s prime minister on the details,” news reports said.

Qatar's Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani, secured Tehran's agreement to a US-proposed ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Iran, Reuters said, quoting a senior official involved in the negotiations.

India welcomed the reports of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel and the role played by the US and Qatar in bringing it about, Ministry of External Affairs said.  

From Gulf to Africa - Qatar's soft power

This isn’t the first time oil-rich Qatar has stepped in to mediate a conflict. Since the 1990s, the Gulf nation of 3.15 million has built a global reputation for its role as a trusted intermediary. Not just in the Middle East but in far away African nations like Sudan.

Before the fresh wave of Iran-Israel conflict, Qatar had mediated the Sudan civil war, the US-Taliban deal, the Israel-Hezbollah agreement and almost came close to mediating the Russia-Ukraine war. The nation has had a significant role in resolving vulnerable hostage situations between the two nations by freeing prisoners.

Qatar’s mediation efforts extended to Chad, culminating in 40 opposition groups agreeing a roadmap to a national dialogue process in 2022. Also, Qatar, in 2023, hosted secret negotiations between the US and Venezuela, leading to a temporary suspension of US sanctions.

Qatar is a monarchy, ruled by the al-Thani family. The country is headed by an Emir – the ruler. The current Emir of Qatar is Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani. He ascended to the position in 2013, succeeding his father, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

Qatar was the first Arab country to open a Trade Office for Israel following the Oslo agreement signed in the early 1990s for establishing peace in the Palestine-Israel region.

Since then, the rules of the monarchy have built the Gulf Nation's foreign policy by forging alliances with dissidents, aiding revolutionaries and militant groups, and also playing a third-party mediator.

At the 77th UN General Assembly meeting in 2022, the then Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani stated that conflict mediation is a key element of Qatar's foreign policy, aiming to establish the country as a dependable international ally.

Here is a look at five earlier conflicts in which Qatar played a mediator’s role:

1- US Taliban Negotiations, 2020

Qatar used its soft power to let US leave Afghanistan after about two decades in the aftermath of 11 September 2001 attacks. Qatar's involvement in facilitating the US -Taliban deal ended the nearly two decades of conflict in Afghanistan.

In 2013, Qatar allowed the Taliban to open an office in Doha. This was the Taliban’s first office outside Afghanistan after the US intervention. Qatar hosted several rounds of talks between the US and the Taliban to mediate the agreement signed on 29 February 2020, outlining the conditions for the withdrawal of US and NATO troops from Afghanistan in exchange for security guarantees from the Taliban.

Finally, the US left the country, and the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021.

2- Darfur Peace Deal of Sudan, 2011 and 2020

Qatar facilitated a peace agreement in Darfur, Sudan, in 2011 and then again in 2020.

The 2011 Darfur Peace Agreement, also known as the Doha Agreement, was signed in July 2011 between the government of Sudan and the Liberation and Justice Movement. This agreement established a compensation fund for victims of the Darfur conflict, allowed the President of Sudan to appoint a vice-president from Darfur, and established a new Darfur Regional Authority to oversee the region until a referendum can determine its permanent status within the Republic of Sudan.

The Darfur peace deal, also known as the Juba Peace Agreement, was signed on 31 August 2020 in Juba, South Sudan. It aimed to end the long-standing conflict in Darfur. The agreement culminated negotiations between the Sudanese government and various armed movements from Darfur, including the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF).

The deal was signed years after the US-mediated deal of 2006 had collapsed.

3- Russia-Ukraine War of 2023

Qatar was instrumental in brokering a deal between Russia and Ukraine to free more than 15 children taken captive by either side in 2023. The country also hosted children freed through the deal.

Qatar announced on 16 October 2023, that the four Ukrainian children had been reunited with their families as a result of its mediation efforts. Six more Ukrainian children were set to be returned to Ukraine from Russia under a deal brokered by Qatar, as per reports.

Washington Post had then reported that Russia and Ukraine were on the brink of engaging in indirect ceasefire negotiations in Qatar’s Doha in August 2023.

4- Israel-Gaza War

In the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, Qatar has been one of the lead mediators in securing some of the hostages Hamas had taken during its 7 October attacks on Israel.

Qatar has played a notable role, particularly in facilitating the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. One of the most significant instances of Qatari mediation was in the case of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier who was captured by Hamas in 2006 near the Israeli-Gaza border.

After years of negotiations, a deal was reached in 2011 for Shalit's release in exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Qatar, along with Egypt and Germany, played a crucial role in brokering this agreement.

With established relationships with both Israel and Hamas, Qatar was considered best country in the region to mediate. Qatar's past involvement in Gaza, including significant investments in infrastructure and humanitarian aid, gave it leverage with Hamas, while its economic ties and security cooperation opened channels of communication with Israel.

Qatar then also played a key role in five-year-long negotiation for the release of an Israeli soldier captured by Hamas in 2006.

5 - Lebanon Crisis 2008

In 2008, Qatar played a crucial role as a mediator, successfully brokering the Doha Agreement that averted a potential civil war in Lebanon. The crisis stemmed from a political deadlock and armed clashes between Hezbollah and the Lebanese government. The crises were fueled by the government's attempt to dismantle Hezbollah's communication network.

As fighting escalated in Beirut, Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani invited Lebanese political factions to Doha. The resulting Doha Agreement, signed on 21 May 2008, included a ceasefire, a power-sharing government, and a commitment to electoral reform. The agreement laid the groundwork for parliamentary elections in 2009 and eventually granted Hezbollah a significant role in a government.