The US has reached a temporary agreement to extend its military presence in Qatar for another 10 years, according to officials cited by CNN. Al-Udeid, the largest US military base in the Middle East, is located in Doha and can accommodate over 10,000 American personnel.

Last month, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Al-Udeid and expressed gratitude to Qatar for increasing its financial contributions to the base’s operations. However, the extension of the agreement was not mentioned during his visit, and the Biden administration has not publicly announced it.

Qatari officials claim that the opening of a political office in Doha was granted only after a request from the Obama administration, as part of the US Central Command’s demand. The base serves as a center for counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan, Iran, and the Middle East for US Central Command, and it also hosts military forces from the United Kingdom and Australia.

This news was reported by Armenia’s NEWS.am.