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Doha mourning for Hamad
Arab and other leaders traveled to Doha to offer condolences to Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim after the death of his father, Sheikh Hamad, who died on Sunday at the age of 74.
The National said Sheikh Tamim received UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Sabah, Bahrain's Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Rwandan President Paul Kagame at Lusail Palace.
The National reported that President Sheikh Mohamed conveyed the UAE's condolences in a phone call with Sheikh Tamim, with Wam saying Sheikh Mohamed "expressed his sincere condolences" on the passing of Sheikh Hamad.
The same report said the Amiri Diwan declared four days of national mourning beginning on Sunday, with work suspended in ministries, government agencies and public institutions from Monday.
It also said Sheikh Hamad’s funeral was held on Sunday after the late afternoon prayer, with his body laid to rest at Lusail Cemetery, north of Doha.
Condolences keep coming
Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim continued receiving condolences at Lusail Palace on Tuesday evening, where Their Excellencies the sheikhs, ministers, dignitaries, accredited diplomats and citizens paid their respects, according to The Peninsula Qatar.
The Peninsula Qatar said guests from several Arab and other friendly countries attended to offer condolences, praying for God’s mercy and forgiveness for HH the Late Father Amir.
In a separate reception, Qatar Tribune said Sheikh Tamim received President of the Republic of Armenia HE Vahagn Khachaturyan and his accompanying delegation at Lusail Palace on Tuesday, after Khachaturyan offered condolences on the death of HH the Late Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
The National also reported that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke to Sheikh Tamim by phone to offer condolences, and it quoted the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailing the former emir as a respected leader whose legacy would endure.
The National added that condolence receptions were expected to continue over the coming days, with more foreign leaders and royal representatives from the Gulf, the wider Arab world and beyond expected to attend or send delegations.
Regional diplomacy amid tensions
The National tied the mourning period and visits to a wider regional context, saying the Gulf faces the return of hostilities between the US and Iran.
It reported that in recent days Qatar has sounded security alerts for the first time in months and responded to missiles and drones fired from Iran, and that three people including a child were wounded by falling debris.
The National said Iran has been in contact with Qatar, Oman and Pakistan in recent days as efforts continue to prevent further escalation in the region, quoting Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei.
As condolences continued, Al-Jazeera Net reported that on Tuesday the Emir received Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani, and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud at Lusail Palace.
Al-Jazeera Net also said the Emir received phone calls from U.S. President Donald Trump, Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, and Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, during which they expressed their sincere condolences on the death of the late Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
