Qatar urges US, Iran to resume talks after renewed attacks

Mediator Qatar urged the United States and Iran on Tuesday to return to negotiations after the two sides renewed tit-for-tat attacks. The call came two days after the US struck an Iranian island in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Tehran to retaliate against US military targets in the Middle East.

Why is Qatar urging the US and Iran to resume talks?

Qatar says leaving the Strait of Hormuz dispute unresolved risks further escalation between the US and Iran. Foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said this warning was borne out by the strikes and retaliation of the past two days. Doha is now pressing both sides to return to negotiations rather than let the conflict deepen.

What happened between the US and Iran this week?

On Sunday, the US struck an Iranian island in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran responded quickly by attacking US military targets in the Middle East, ending a period of relative calm.

Six months into the conflict, the two sides remain at an impasse. Iran has disrupted shipping traffic through the strait with a blockade, while the US has maintained a counter-blockade of Iranian ports.

What has Qatar said about the escalation?

Al Ansari told a regular press briefing that Doha had warned from the outset that normalizing the strait's closure would lead to escalation. He said the past two days of strikes confirmed that warning. He urged both parties to exercise wisdom and return to the negotiating path, adding that Qatar continues intensifying efforts with its mediation partners to secure that return.

Has Iran signaled it would return to negotiations?

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would immediately reciprocate if the United States returned to a June deal aimed at ending the war. Al Ansari said neither Qatar, the region nor the world can afford to accept the current status quo.

Who else is involved in mediating the conflict?

Qatar said discussions with its mediation partners in Pakistan and Oman are ongoing. Last week, Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani travelled to Tehran as part of these efforts. That visit followed reports that Iran and Oman, which border the strait, were discussing a temporary shipping corridor and mine clearance.