US investigates Qatar's reported financing of Islamic extremists

Inquiry launched after Israel says Qatari monarchy funded Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are prime movers in the Iranian economy and manage enterprises in a variety of sectors. AFP

The US announced on Friday that it had launched an investigation into Qatar's alleged funding of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, an organisation the country deems a terror group.

The allegation against the Gulf state was made in an Israeli government report, with Israel's outgoing president, Reuven Rivlin, believed to have apprised US President Joe Biden of the report's findings when they met last month.

It is the latest in a string of accusations that the Qatari monarchy has financed Islamist extremists.

A State Department official told The Washington Examiner that the allegations were being looked into but stressed the “robust strategic, security and counter-terrorism partnership” the US shares with Qatar.

Currently, almost 10,000 troops US troops are based at Qatar's Al Udeid airbase.

The countries' seemingly close relationship was further emphasised this week when US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to discuss the many intractable conflicts in the Middle East.

The Qatari foreign minister echoed Mr Blinken's calls for “peace and security” in the region after the meeting but the news of the US investigation is likely to test their bond.