Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani appointed his top diplomat as the country's new prime minister Tuesday.

He also brought in a new interior minister in what observers called the completion of a changing of the guard in the Gulf state.

The ruler's office announced that Al Thani had accepted the resignation of the prime minister and interior minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani.

Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was named as the new head of government and was sworn in within hours of the change, state media reported.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who headed the government security committee for last year's World Cup, became interior minister.

At 42, the new prime minister, an economist, is the same age as the emir and the new interior minister is also of the same generation.

Sheikh Khalifa had also served in the Lekhwiya internal security force.

The outgoing prime minister, 55, had only been in office since January 2020.

"He was the last real link in government to the father emir," said a diplomatic observer, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic.

The current emir's father Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani abdicated in favor of his son in 2013. Sheikh Hamad had come to power 18 years earlier.

The current emir has not introduced any major changes to the country's foreign policy.

But Qatar's wealth from massive natural gas reserves brought huge changes to the state and its international profile.

The population has increased by a third to about 3 million in the past decade, mainly due to a massive influx of migrant workers.

The country does not have any political parties but held a first direct election in 2021 for a consultative council.

Qatar organized last year's World Cup as part of a campaign to become an international sports hub and also sought a greater diplomatic and mediation role in geopolitical disputes.

As part of the latest changes, central bank Gov. Sheikh Bandar bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Thani became chairman of the Qatar Investment Authority, one of the world's biggest sovereign wealth funds.

The new prime minister had previously held the post.

Defence Minister Khalid bin Muhammad Al Attiyah becomes deputy prime minister in the new government.