DUBAI: Qatar’s prime minister travelled to Tehran on Thursday in an effort to revive diplomatic channels, as tensions between the United States and Iran continued over Washington’s latest sanctions, which an Iranian official described as “all-out economic war”.
Qatar has acted as a back-channel mediator between the two sides and played a direct role in helping secure a ceasefire in June that temporarily halted hostilities.
Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani held talks in Tehran with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, according to Iran’s foreign ministry.
The discussions focused on a proposed phased framework that would establish a temporary joint Iranian-Omani shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz, alongside a joint effort to clear mines from the waterway, Qatar’s foreign ministry said.
The officials also discussed regional developments, efforts to ease tensions and steps to create conditions for renewed dialogue, the Qatari ministry added.
The visit came as the White House said there were currently no negotiations between Washington and Tehran, arguing that Iran had not yet “come to the table in a meaningful way”.
Iran, however, has repeatedly maintained that it has not withdrawn from negotiations.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday that President Donald Trump “continues to retain all options on the table” regarding Iran.
Meanwhile, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf urged national unity in response to what he called “all-out economic war”, saying internal divisions were “exactly what the enemy wants”.
Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the Iranian parliament’s national security committee, described the sanctions as an “inhumane and hostile act” but said they had become less effective.
Iran has faced different forms of US sanctions since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
On Wednesday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Tehran and Muscat had reached an understanding on sharing the Strait of Hormuz and its revenues. However, a senior Iranian source later said the two countries were still finalising details of any agreement.
