A large percentage of Qataris do not trace their immediate roots to the peninsula for generations. They hail from Bahrain, Saudi, Yemen, Iran, Pakistan, and other parts of the Middle East and Africa. In the 1930s, the population of Qatar was less than 20,000 once the pearl fishing collapsed. Over the next several decades it rebuilt itself on immigration and encouraging people who had left for jobs in other countries to return. It was fairly easy to become a citizen until the 1970s.
Like other nationalities around the globe, the children of immigrants marry, have their own experiences and forge new countries and national identities. To call them Iranian is a little ridiculous.
A large percentage of Qataris do not trace their immediate roots to the peninsula for generations. They hail from Bahrain, Saudi, Yemen, Iran, Pakistan, and other parts of the Middle East and Africa. In the 1930s, the population of Qatar was less than 20,000 once the pearl fishing collapsed. Over the next several decades it rebuilt itself on immigration and encouraging people who had left for jobs in other countries to return. It was fairly easy to become a citizen until the 1970s.
Like other nationalities around the globe, the children of immigrants marry, have their own experiences and forge new countries and national identities. To call them Iranian is a little ridiculous.