Qatar urges Iran to show goodwill and reopen Strait of Hormuz
Qatar said Iran must stop threats against regional countries and reopen the Strait of Hormuz for mediation to succeed. It said talks with the US side continue, with Pakistan among the partners.
- Qatar's foreign ministry urged Iran on Tuesday to show goodwill by ending threats and reopening Hormuz
- A Qatari delegation visited Tehran as part of mediation with Pakistan and others
- Brent crude rose above $117 a barrel last week, according to the reports
Qatar urged Iran on Tuesday to show goodwill by stopping threats against countries in the region and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while efforts to broker a deal with the United States continue.
Ibrahim bin Sultan Al Hashmi, director of the Qatari foreign ministry's Media and Communication Department, told a weekly briefing in Doha that positive statements had been heard from the Iranian side, but that Iran still needed to show goodwill.
He said a recent Qatari delegation visit to Tehran was part of mediation carried out with Pakistan and other regional partners. Asked if the delegation carried a new proposal, he said messages and ideas were still being exchanged with both sides. He gave no details and announced no breakthrough.
Al Hashmi said Washington and Tehran had both spoken of further escalation as well as a possible diplomatic solution. He said the mediator always holds on to this window of hope.
On Monday, Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin met Iranian leaders in Tehran. The three countries signed the Mecca mutual defence pact in August. Iranian state media said all four countries agreed to continue talks on peace and security.
Al Hashmi said Qatar and its Gulf neighbours were ready to join a regional security framework based on respect for sovereignty and a commitment not to attack one another. He said Saudi efforts complemented those of Qatar and Pakistan.
The US and Iran remain divided on terms. Tehran wants the US blockade of its ports lifted and sanctions on its oil exports removed, while Washington demands that Iran reduce nuclear enrichment.
The war began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February. Iranian shipping restrictions and the US blockade have severely disrupted traffic through Hormuz. Brent crude rose above $117 a barrel last week, its highest since April, after Iranian attacks on tankers near the strait, and crude flows were around 60% of normal, according to ANZ research.
Why it matters
Pakistan is named as a mediation partner, and the Gulf tensions over Hormuz affect oil prices and the many Pakistani workers in the region.
