Qatar says Iran-US diplomatic contacts continue, hopes for deal

DOHA: Qatar has said diplomatic contacts between Iran and the United States are continuing despite rising tension in the region, and it hopes talks will lead to an agreement.

Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said contacts were continuing from both sides. According to him, it is a positive sign that details of the talks have not come out, because diplomatic efforts need to be kept confidential to succeed.

He warned that rising tension was making the situation more difficult and that unchecked tension could push the whole region towards war. He said a ceasefire was not the goal of the talks but the first step towards it, and that tension must be reduced at the same time in all the region’s conflicts, including Yemen. He said Israeli political statements could also add to instability in the region.

Majed al-Ansari reaffirmed that Qatar stood with Riyadh in defence of Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty. He said Saudi Arabia had the right to defend its sovereignty against Houthi attacks.

On Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke by telephone with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. According to the US State Department, Rubio reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to Qatar’s security and to free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and thanked Qatar for its mediation efforts.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said indirect talks with the United States were continuing without interruption through mediators such as Pakistan and Qatar. According to him, Iran had put forward a seven-day proposal that includes fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz on the sixth day. He said the United States had said it accepted the terms but wanted to extend some clauses.

Pakistan played a role in an agreement in June, which later failed. Disagreement over Iran’s nuclear stockpile is a major obstacle: Washington wants this issue settled first, while Tehran’s position is that steps to ease pressure and reopen Hormuz should come first.