Doha Forum to Spotlight Qatari Ministers, Iranian Regime Figures — and Tucker Carlson's Business Partners
The conference will feature Neil Patel, co-founder and CEO of the Tucker Carlson Network, and Omeed Malik, its lead investor, along with Qatar’s prime minister and officials from Iran and Turkey
Qatar’s annual Doha Forum will take place on December 6–7, and its newly released agenda shows a speaker lineup and session slate heavily focused on Israel and Gaza. Nearly half of all scheduled panels contain direct references to Israeli “crimes” in Gaza and Iran, and ALL of them align with Qatari and Iranian talking points. Among the speakers are Qatar’s Prime Minister, Iranian officials, and a cavalcade of anti-American actors.
None of that is surprising — this is Doha, the capital of the Muslim Brotherhood, after all.
What’s (only slightly) more surprising is that two high-profile American attendees are Neil Patel, the CEO of the Tucker Carlson Network, and Omeed Malik, the network’s earliest financial backer and founder of 1789 Capital. While Malik is listed as the founder of 1789 Capital, Patel is listed in his official capacity as head of Carlson’s media operation, a notable choice for a conference funded and hosted by the Qatari government.
The forum will also host Javad Zarif, Iran’s former foreign minister and one of the regime’s most prominent propagandists on the global stage. Another pro-Iran mainstay on the program is Trita Parsi, founder of the National Iranian American Council and a leading advocate for Tehran’s interests in Washington. As Tablet Magazine previously reported, internal emails and documents showed Parsi and NIAC coordinating with Iranian regime officials, including arranging meetings between members of Congress and Iran’s ambassador to the U.N.
A separate Iranian-diaspora watchdog report detailed NIAC’s long record of advocacy aligned with Tehran’s goals, including dissident testimony describing the group as a de-facto PR arm for the regime. The report also notes that a federal judge sanctioned Parsi and NIAC for withholding evidence during their failed defamation lawsuit.
Also gracing the stage will be Wael al-Dahdouh, the head of Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau who is also an alleged member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization.
Across the two-day schedule, themes related to Israel, Gaza, and Iran dominate the agenda. Major global issues such as Russia, China, energy markets, and economic development appear far less frequently. Topics that do appear tend to be framed around the Middle East, and highlight Qatar’s supposedly “well-intentioned diplomatic” efforts.
The conference sessions are exactly what you’d expect. One panel, titled “The Gaza Reckoning: Reassessing Global Responsibilities and Pathways to Peace,” says it will examine the war through the lens of global accountability. Another, “Iran and the Changing Regional Security Environment,” falsely claims Israel initiated the 12-Day-War with Iran, when in reality, Israel was simply responding to over a year of Iranian missle attacks on its territory. A third session, “Reclaiming Agency in International Media,” says it will focus on Gaza and the media’s role in shaping narratives surrounding the conflict.
Speaking of media, the forum’s media partners include only two Western outlets: CNN and Foreign Policy. CNN’s involvement has drawn scrutiny before. As the Washington Free Beacon reported, the network recently established an office in Doha, with Qatar footing the bill.
Qatar markets the Doha Forum as a platform for diplomacy, dialogue, and global cooperation. The 2025 program suggests a clear effort to shape international discourse around the Gaza war, Iranian interests, and Qatar’s regional positioning.
…….So why the hell are Tucker Carlson’s business partners there?