Qatar confirmed, on Tuesday, the continuation of mediation efforts between the United States and Iran to reach an agreement to end the war, noting that Washington and Tehran are currently reviewing proposals presented by Doha to bring views closer, at a time when communications between the two parties continue despite the military escalation in the region.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman, Majid Al-Ansari, said during a press conference in Doha that the American and Iranian sides are still committed to the negotiating path, and that they are studying the ideas and proposals presented by the Qatari mediators, confirming that there are developments in the talks, without revealing their details.
Al-Ansari added: “There is still a commitment to the negotiating path by both parties, and we are exchanging proposals in real time,” noting that efforts to bring viewpoints closer together are continuing with the aim of reaching an agreement that paves the way for future negotiations.
He stressed that Doha still hopes for the possibility of reaching a diplomatic settlement, saying that “the two parties’ continued engagement in negotiations and study of proposals means that the opportunity for agreement still exists,” but he clarified that ending the crisis remains dependent on the positions of both parties.
Regarding communications with Tehran, Al-Ansari revealed that the Qatari mediation delegation that visited the Iranian capital, on Monday, held a lengthy meeting with Iranian officials that lasted more than 3 hours, during which opinions were exchanged regarding the proposed proposals to narrow the gap of differences between Washington and Tehran.
He explained that the delegation returned to Doha on Monday evening, and that communications continued after its return, noting that the past days witnessed rounds of talks and communications with the parties concerned.
Regarding regional positions, the Qatari spokesman confirmed the existence of continuous coordination between the Gulf states and the countries of the region to support mediation and prevent renewed military escalation. He referred to the statements issued by Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region, considering that they reflect joint support for diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the crisis.
He said that communications and coordination between officials in the countries of the region take place on a daily basis, and that each country contributes to the de-escalation efforts in coordination with the rest of the parties, with the aim of ending the escalation and reaching a regional security system that guarantees the security of the peoples of the region.
Regarding the navigation security file, Al-Ansari renewed his condemnation of targeting the Al-Maed tanker, stressing that freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Gulf is a non-negotiable issue, and that his country rejects any threat to ships, whether Qatari or affiliated with other countries.
The Qatari spokesman downplayed the importance of the media escalation in judging the chances of mediation success, stressing that Doha based its assessment on what is happening inside the negotiating rooms and the official responses to the proposals, and not on media statements.
In Tehran, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, said that messages continued to be exchanged with the United States through intermediaries, including Qatar.
The government ISNA newspaper quoted Gharibabadi as saying that the proposal presented by his country on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings still forms the basis for a diplomatic settlement.
He explained that Tehran received opinions on the proposal during ongoing contacts, stressing that Iran's demands are clear, and that their implementation could open the way to reaching a diplomatic understanding.
The Qatari and Iranian statements come at a time when diplomatic efforts are continuing to bring the positions of Washington and Tehran closer, without yet announcing an agreement or a decisive breakthrough in the negotiations, despite the two parties confirming that they continue to study mutual proposals through Qatari mediation.
Today (Tuesday), the Israeli army denied its participation in strikes on the Iranian island of Qeshm, which American media said were carried out by the United States.
In response to a question from Agence France-Presse about Israel’s participation in secret attacks on the island located in the Strait of Hormuz region, an Israeli army spokesman said, “No.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had threatened to resume war with Tehran.
The United States carried out limited strikes targeting the Iranian island of Qeshm in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday-Tuesday night, according to American media, while Iranian media reported five successive explosions.
In light of intense diplomatic efforts being made in recent days to reach a settlement that would avoid a new round of escalation, Iranian chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf stressed today (Tuesday) that the ball is in Washington’s court to “avoid war,” hours after US President Donald Trump spoke about the possibility of reaching an agreement with Tehran.
The strikes came at a time when American voters were preparing to cast their votes in the midterm presidential elections that threaten Trump's grip on power.
The strikes, which were first reported by the Wall Street Journal, targeted the strategic island of Qeshm, located in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Wall Street Journal, CNN, the New York Times, and other media outlets quoted unnamed American officials as saying that the attacks were defensive.
For its part, the Wall Street Journal indicated that it falls within the framework of a series of strikes carried out secretly by the United States against Iran, and that they were not officially announced to avoid giving the impression that Washington intends to resume broad military operations.
In turn, the official Iranian news agency, IRNA, announced five successive explosions that rocked Qeshm, while residents reported seeing two planes flying above it. The agency did not explain the cause of the explosions.
The war began with American-Israeli attacks on Iran in late February. A memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran collapsed in June, shortly after it was concluded, and the two sides subsequently exchanged blows without resuming large-scale hostilities.
Trump said yesterday evening (Monday) that an agreement could be reached with Iran, on the eve of the start of the midterm elections in the United States, where the war is not very popular, especially in light of the inflation it has caused and the rise in prices of energy resources.
Trump wrote on his “Truth Social” platform, “Iran wants to reach a settlement as soon as possible.” "It might happen!"
