Qatar sees hope for US–Iran interim deal despite new US strikes and Hormuz shipping threats
Qatar said on Tuesday there is still hope for an interim deal between the United States and Iran, as mediators exchange proposals in real time after talks in Tehran. “If there were no hope, there would be no negotiations,” foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari told a weekly briefing in Doha. A Qatari delegation spent more than three hours with Iranian officials on Monday before returning to Doha that evening; Washington and Tehran are now reviewing the proposals. Doha is pursuing an interim agreement meant to build trust and let both sides show they will keep their commitments. Al Ansari said confidence is built through the process rather than specific actions, and that such a deal could be a first step toward lasting peace.
The war began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February and led to separate US and Iranian blockades of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil and gas corridor. Al Ansari called freedom of navigation “non-negotiable,” condemned threats to ships belonging to Qatar or other countries, and warned that attacks on shipping and further military escalation would endanger the region and the talks. Despite overnight US strikes on Iran’s Qeshm island in the strait, he said Qatar is judging the process by official replies to its proposals, not public threats. Qatar continues to work closely with Pakistan and to coordinate with its Gulf neighbours to limit further escalation. Iranian officials have repeatedly said Tehran’s conditions must be met before Hormuz can reopen or nuclear talks can start.
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