Qatar stepped up regional mediation efforts on Thursday, with Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani pressing Iran to restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, even as Tehran insisted that reopening the strategic waterway would depend on conditions being met by the United States.
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani is due to visit Tehran on Thursday in a fresh diplomatic push to ease tensions between the US and Iran and help restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran and Oman have agreed to pursue a temporary shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz and launch efforts to clear mines from the strategic waterway, in the latest diplomatic push to restore the flow of vessels through the Strait.
Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi on Tuesday held constructive consultations with his Iranian counterpart Dr Seyed Abbas Araghchi in Tehran, Oman News Agency reported.
The United States has threatened to impose damaging secondary sanctions on countries, financial institutions and companies that continue to provide economic lifelines to Iran, opening a potentially far-reaching new front in Washington’s campaign to isolate Tehran as the war approaches its six-month mark.
The United States is set to unleash what Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has described as an “economic D-Day” against Iran, threatening to sever the country’s remaining financial and commercial lifelines.
As the world awaits details of a potentially punishing new round of US sanctions against Iran, Tehran has warned that it could shut the Strait of Hormuz and halt all oil shipments through the Arabian Gulf if neighbouring countries join President Donald Trump’s economic campaign against it.
Iran and China have pushed back against US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose what Washington says will be the “toughest sanctions in history” on Tehran, warning that unilateral economic pressure could further destabilise the region and damage global trade.
The UAE has rejected what it described as false information and “desperate media campaigns” targeting the country, including claims that it was cancelling labour residencies and providing financial facilities to Iran.
The UAE has said that all trade, commercial exchanges, and financial transactions with Iran have been halted until further notice in light of regional escalations that undermine regional and international peace and security.
