Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref has announced Tehran and Doha’s mutual pursuit of constructing the world’s longest undersea tunnel to connect Iran and Qatar, marking a significant leap in bilateral infrastructure collaboration.
In a meeting on Saturday with Qatar’s newly appointed Ambassador to Iran, Sa'ad bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud Al-Sharif, Aref stressed the importance of the ambitious project, which aims to enhance connectivity between the two nations.
He said that a specialized Iranian team has been appointed to conduct preliminary studies, with plans to visit Doha in the coming weeks for discussions.
Highlighting close political alignment between Tehran and Doha, Aref expressed optimism for a continued elevation of diplomatic, economic, and cultural relations.
“There is no ceiling to enhancing our mutual relations in all fields,” he remarked, urging both sides to leverage joint commissions to expand upon current cooperation levels.
The vice president further announced that the head of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization would soon visit Doha to finalize Qatar’s participation in the development of the Dayyer port in southern Iran, signaling Iran’s commitment to deepening trade and maritime cooperation.
Ambassador Al-Sharif underscored the high-level discussions between the Emir of Qatar and Iran’s President during a last month meeting in Doha, where both leaders emphasized the need for economic ties to reach the same level as their political relations.
The ambassador highlighted Qatar’s investments in energy, humanitarian aid chains, and specifically the development of the undersea tunnel project as core areas of partnership.
Al-Sharif also expressed Qatar’s interest in reopening its consulate in Shiraz, to which Aref pledged support for facilitating the reopening.