Qatar says US, Iran still in talks to end war

Doha, Qatar - Qatar's foreign ministry has confirmed that the United States and Iran are still engaged in indirect talks aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, despite the recent deadlock that has lasted seven months. The mediator, Qatar, has been facilitating communications between the two nations and their regional partners, according to foreign ministry official Ibrahim Al-Hashmi.

Speaking at a regular press briefing, Al-Hashmi emphasized the need for an immediate resolution to the conflict, stating that the scale of the war and its global impact necessitates a swift end through a negotiated agreement. On Tuesday, Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held a meeting with Iran's interior minister Eskandar Momeni in Doha, as reported by the palace.

Despite the April ceasefire, a memorandum of understanding in June, and talks at the UN General Assembly, the United States and Iran continue to disagree over the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian recently dismissed the talks with the US as "meaningless," insisting that they have only led to further hostilities, according to state media reports.