Qatar's Foreign Ministry said on September 2 that it is holding talks with Oman and Pakistan aimed at reducing regional tensions following the latest round of US-Iran hostilities.
Speaking at a press conference, ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari warned against normalizing the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, where US-Iran fighting has brought maritime traffic nearly to a standstill.
“We have said from the outset that any attempt to normalize the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in this manner will end in regional escalation, and that is what we are witnessing yesterday and today,” Al-Ansari said. “Escalation benefits no one; we are all affected negatively. We call on all parties to be sensible and return to negotiations.”
Around 25% of global maritime trade once passed through the strait before Israel and the US launched a war against Iran on February 28, reducing vessel traffic through the waterway to a small fraction of its previous volume. The US has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports, while Iran has been accused of laying mines and attacking oil tankers in the area. Energy prices have soared since then, affecting the global economy.
Iran and Oman have held talks on opening a temporary route through the Strait of Hormuz, but Tehran demands that the US return to the memorandum signed in June. Qatar, which is economically impacted by the war, has encouraged peaceful solutions and has contacted regional leaders to promote dialogue.
Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani visited Tehran last week to encourage dialogue aimed at ending the crisis. Al-Ansari said the regional visits to Tehran are “all intended to support mediation efforts, seek a return to the negotiating path, and ensure that escalation in the region is not repeated.”
While the US and Iran clash around the strategic waterway, Israel continues to bomb and occupy Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon. Recent weeks have also seen a rise in attacks by Israeli settlers in the West Bank, with many Palestinian homes and villages besieged.
Al-Ansari accused Israel of using the war against Iran “to impose a new reality in the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, and Syria,” adding that Israel is beginning a new regional escalation.
