By Briana Crume –

On Monday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of Qatar, at the Pentagon.

The Department of Defense says the meeting was to affirm the strength of the U.S.-Qatar defense partnership and its key role in the U.S. strategic bilateral relationship. 

During their meeting, Secretary Austin reiterated his heartfelt gratitude to the Amir for Qatar’s indispensable and ongoing support to the United States in Afghanistan.

Additionally the two discussed shared regional security interests, including continued cooperation on Afghanistan, de-escalating tensions in the region, and the full scope of threats from Iran.  Secretary Austin emphasized the importance of multilateral efforts and integrated operations with partners like Qatar to address the threats confronting the region.