Salehi Congratulates Appointment Of New Qatari FM

Tehran, June 29, IRNA – IRI Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi in a message on Friday congratulated the appointment of Khalid al-Attiyah as Qatarˈs new Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. According to the Islamic Republic of Iranˈs Minister of Foreign Affairs Salehi in his congratulatory message expressed hope that during the new era bilateral relations would further expand and the two countriesˈ consultations aimed at securing the interests of the two countries, the region, and the Islamic world would increase more than ever before. Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah is a Qatari fighter pilot, businessman and politician, being a member of Qatari cabinet since 2008 in various capacities. Attiyah was born on March 9th, 1967. He received a bachelorˈs degree in air science from King Faisal Air Academy in 1987 and also, a law degree from Beirut Arab University in 1993. He holds a masterˈs degree in public law (1991) and a PhD in law (2006) both of which he received from Cairo University. Attiyah started his career as fighter pilot and joined Qatarˈs air force where he served from 1987 to 1995. He left the air force and established a law firm in 1995. From 2003 to 2008 he served as the president of the National Committee for Human Rights. Then he served as the minister of state for international cooperation from 2008 to 2011. In 2009, he became a member of Silatech’s Board of Trustees. He is also a member of the board of directors and chairman of the executive committee of the Diar Company, and a member of the board of directors of Qatar Electricity and Water Company. In a cabinet reshuffle in September 2011, Attiyah was appointed minister of state for foreign affairs to the cabinet led by then prime minister Hamad bin Jassim Ale Thani. He was also acting minister for business and trade. On 26 June 2013, Attiyah was named as the minister of foreign affairs in a cabinet reshuffle. He replaced Hamad bin Jassim Ale Thani as foreign minister. The cabinet is headed by Prime Minister Abdullah bin Nasser Ale Thani./end