Manama: Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday dismissed as "null and void" any ruling by the UN court probing the 2005 murder of former Lebanese premier Rafik Hariri, state television reported.
"This tribunal is receiving orders from elsewhere and whatever ruling it hands down is null and void," Khamenei told visiting Qatari Emir Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani in a meeting, state television reported.
The UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon said on December 9 that it will "very, very soon" file indictments for the February 14, 2005, killing of Hariri and 22 others in a Beirut bomb blast.
It is reportedly set to indict high-ranking operatives of Hezbollah, Lebanon's most powerful military force, which is backed by Tehran and Damascus. Iranian Ambassador to Qatar Abdullah Sohrabi told Qatari media that the Emir and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would discuss bilateral relations and the latest developments in the region and the world.
The two leaders will also review the situation in Palestine, Lebanon, Sudan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and other international issues of mutual interest, the envoy said, according to the Qatari daily Gulf Times.
"There is much exchange of reciprocal visits of senior officials between the two countries," Sohrabi said. "Qatar will host the Al Quds [Jerusalem] Conference and exert efforts to maintain stability in Lebanon and Sudan," he said. The three issues are of high interest to Iran.
Strong economic ties
"Economic relations between Doha and Tehran are strong and diverse. Iran provides Qatar with food materials, agricultural soil, steel, cement and has many companies working in the country. The two countries are the most important producers and exporters of natural gas in the world; therefore they need to work together in this area."
Iran is looking forward to benefiting from business opportunities in Qatar in the run-up to the World Cup 2022, the ambassador said.
Governors of three Iran-ian provinces — Tehran, Gilan and Gazvin — will visit Qatar next Wednesday to attend the Qmoney International Exhibition and hold meetings with some ministers, and a delegation from the Qatar Foundation will visit Tehran on Wednesday to discuss relations in education, science and culture.
Sohrabi said Qatar winning the bid to host the 2022 World Cup was a success for the Arab and Muslim people.
"It proves that this region is safe and can host an event of this size. The only problem of the Gulf region is external interference in its internal affairs."
Sacking
In comments on the sacking of foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki, the ambassador said the outgoing minister had worked for a long period serving Iran in foreign relations and five years in the Iranian nuclear programme.
"He accumulated great experience. He is very competent and will succeed in any task assigned to him. The new minister is also well experienced and is a great friend of Arabs. The first decision he took is to strengthen relations with Saudi Arabia. He speaks the Arabic language fluently."
Ahmadinejad last Monday removed Mottaki from his post while he was on a diplomatic mission in Senegal and appointed head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi as acting foreign minister.
The sacking waded into controversy and Iranian legislators who rival the president from within his own camp expressed their indignation.
The Tehran Times reported that Majlis speaker Ali Larijani disapproved of the way Mottaki was removed and said it should have been done with caution and dignity.
