Qatar Signals Gulf States Ready to Provide US$300 Billion for Iran
DOHA – Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, has described a proposed US$300 billion investment fund for Iran as aspirational. In an interview with the Financial Times published on Wednesday (24/6/2026), he indicated that Gulf states could play a role in the funding if Iran reaches a final agreement with the US.
‘The figure of US$300 billion, which has been set for the proposed investment fund for Iran, is an aspirational figure,’ Sheikh Mohammed said. He noted that part of what countries in the region are doing is creating a regional security framework with Iran. ‘It is hoped that this will lead to future economic cooperation among all of us to restore stability in the region,’ Sheikh Mohammed added.
The report explained that the administration of US President Donald Trump has proposed that Gulf states help finance the fund, which would initially serve as a vehicle for companies to invest in Iran. However, the Qatari foreign minister did not clarify whether his country would participate financially. ‘Our goal is for Iran to prosper and its economy to grow, and our investments are fundamentally always based on purely commercial decisions,’ he said.
The proposed funding mechanism is linked to Point 6 of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Iran to end regional hostilities. Under that provision, the US, together with its regional partners, commits to establishing an agreed final programme worth at least US$300 billion for the reconstruction and economic development of Iran. The understanding also states that the implementation mechanism for the plan will be finalised as part of a final agreement within 60 days, while the US will provide all necessary approvals, exemptions, and licences for related financial transactions. Among the provisions in the agreement is the lifting of the US naval blockade against Iran and the reopening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz for global energy supplies.