Qatar continues US-Iran message exchanges to build common ground: Al Ansari

Doha, Qatar - Qatar's top foreign affairs advisor, Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari, has stated that his country maintains dialogue and message exchanges with the US and Iran in an effort to find common ground and avert conflict. Al Ansari reiterated Qatar's commitment to mediating between the two nations and supporting efforts aimed at de-escalation and restoring freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

He noted that recent meetings and exchanges have taken place in New York during the UN General Assembly and prior to that.

Al Ansari emphasized the importance of respecting infrastructure and facilities during any regional escalation, warning that threats to them violate international law and good-neighborly relations. He also highlighted how the crisis and instability in the region impact energy, food, and industrial supplies, thereby straining the global economy.

When asked about the potential for non-aggression agreements between GCC states and Iran, Al Ansari clarified that the region's countries did not join this war; it was Iran that initiated hostilities against its neighbors, including Israel and the United States. He urged Iranian officials to distance themselves from the conflict and urged GCC states and other regional nations to work towards a solution based on dialogue.

The Qatari diplomat stressed the necessity of establishing a security framework based on coexistence, non-aggression, and good-neighbourly relations. He underlined that the first step towards achieving this is for region's states to recognize they will not be targeted in future escalations. Al Ansari specifically warned against developments in the West Bank, criticizing attempts to impose a new reality there that contradict the international consensus established since the Oslo Accords.

He praised countries that imposed sanctions and took measures against settlement activity in the West Bank, urging intensified efforts to halt Israeli violations, particularly those involving changes to the status quo in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.