Al Jazeera's director general, Wadah Khanfar, has stepped down after eight years as the network's top executive.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani replaced him on Wednesday at the helm of the network.

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

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Khanfar discussed the reasons for his decision and dispelled suspicions that it was linked to political pressures.