'Crisis cannot be left unresolved': Qatar PM says mediation efforts continue

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, has stated that mediating between Iran and the United States is ongoing to avert further escalation. In an interview at Oxford University, Al Thani expressed that "for the past couple of weeks, we have worked with colleagues in the US administration who have very genuine intentions to find a way to contain the situation and de-escalate it."

He emphasized that "mediation efforts continue to prevent the situation from spiralling out of control," crediting "some wise voices in Tehran" for averting a worse outcome. Al Thani assured that despite the US midterm election, the US and Iran's intentions "to take steps toward finding a solution are still there," and his government is "building and capitalising on this."

While acknowledging that current diplomatic exchanges may not be as active, Al Thani stressed that "our engagement did not stop and will not stop." Qatar had earlier rebutted reports that US-Iran negotiations had failed, cautioning that such claims "benefit only those seeking to prolong the war." Al Thani reiterated that "the crisis cannot be left unresolved."