Qatar said Tuesday that a deal between the United States and Iran remained possible, as mediators exchanged proposals following talks in Tehran. The effort is continuing despite fresh US strikes and threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, which Qatar said could complicate negotiations aimed at ending the war.
“If there were no hope, there would be no negotiations,” foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said at a weekly briefing in Doha. He said a Qatari delegation met Iranian officials for more than three hours on Monday before returning to Doha, and that Washington and Tehran were reviewing proposals.
Qatar is working towards an interim agreement intended to build trust and give both sides a way to demonstrate that they will meet their commitments. Al Ansari said confidence develops through the negotiating process and described an interim deal as a possible first step towards lasting peace.
The war began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February and has involved separate US and Iranian blockades of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for oil and gas exports. Al Ansari called freedom of navigation “non-negotiable” and condemned threats against ships belonging to Qatar or other countries. He warned that attacks on shipping and further military escalation could affect the negotiations and threaten the wider region.
After overnight US strikes on Iran’s Qeshm island in the Strait of Hormuz, Al Ansari said Qatar was assessing the talks based on official responses to its proposals, rather than public threats and statements. He said Doha was continuing to work closely with Pakistan and coordinate with Gulf neighbours to prevent further escalation.
Iranian officials have repeatedly said that Tehran’s conditions must be met before the Strait of Hormuz can reopen or nuclear talks can begin.
Sources: Euronews English.