Qatar PM to visit Tehran to pursue mediation efforts

Qatar's Prime Minister, Mohammed Al Thani, will visit Tehran on Thursday in an effort to relaunch diplomacy between the US and Iran. The visit comes as the conflict approaches its sixth month, with major fighting largely stopped but no diplomatic breakthrough in sight. According to RTE News, the two sides remain at odds over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for global oil supplies.

Qatar has served as a back-channel negotiator for the warring parties and played a direct role in securing a June ceasefire that briefly led to a cessation of hostilities. The US has promised to increase economic pressure on Tehran by targeting its trade partners for sanctions, leading to recriminations between the two countries.

The visit is aimed at reducing tensions, with Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Majed Al Ansari, stating that diplomacy is the right way to resolve conflicts. The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, remains a major point of contention, with oil flows falling to a three-month low of five million barrels per day, according to RTE News.

Brief written by urgent.news from Al-Monitor, Times of India, RTE News, Arutz Sheva - Israel National News — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.