Qatar, US close to finalising defence cooperation deal, says Rubio

Qatar and the United States are close to completing a defence cooperation agreement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said as he travelled to Doha from Tel Aviv, according to the Israeli media outlet MİG News, cited by Caliber.Az.

“We have a close partnership with Qatar. Moreover, we have an expanded defence cooperation agreement that we are working on and is on the verge of completion,” Rubio said.

Rubio also urged Qatar to continue its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, noting that only a very short window remains to reach a deal.

“If there is any country in the world that can act as a mediator, it is Qatar. They are the ones who can do it,” Rubio said.

The visit follows widespread condemnation of Israel's September 9 airstrike on Hamas leaders in Doha, which has strained regional dynamics and complicated truce efforts.

Rubio's trip, part of a broader Middle East tour, includes meetings with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani to advance the agreement and discuss de-escalation. President Donald Trump directed Rubio to finalise the pact earlier this month, viewing it as a counter to terrorism and extremism in the region. The deal, expected to be signed soon, could involve billions in U.S. military equipment sales and expanded joint exercises, building on Qatar's hosting of the Al Udeid Air Base—the largest U.S. military facility in the Middle East.

By Khagan Isayev