Al Jazeera's director general, Wadah Khanfar, has announced that he will step down after eight years as the network's top executive. Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim al-Thani will replace him at the helm of the network.

Khanfar said he fulfilled his goal of helping establish Al Jazeera as a global media leader and that the organisation is in a strong position going forward.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Khanfar discusses his decision to resign and dispelled suspicions that it was linked to political pressures.