"In recent days, Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has held calls with officials in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey, Kuwait and others to discuss "regional tensions" and "efforts aimed at de-escalation in the region." Last week and during the weekend, Al Thani also met US Vice President JD Vance, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House envoy Steve Witkoff as part of efforts to permanently end the war with Iran, according to the news outlet Axios."
""Qatar is playing a vital behind-the-scenes role," Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at the London-based think tank Chatham House, told DW. "They are key in bridging divides between Tehran and Washington despite the war and the Iranian strikes," she said, adding that Doha has still good ties with the Trump administration and is playing effectively what is a complementary mediation role."
"This view is echoed by US officials who said, according to Axios, that Qataris had been "especially effective in negotiations in Iran." Anna Jacobs, a Gulf analyst and non-resident fellow at the Washington-based think tank Arab Gulf States Institute (AGSI), also points out that "Qatar has a longer history and experience of US and Iran mediation, as well as intimate knowledge of the Gulf regional security landscape in ways that Pakistan just doesn't.""
"In her view, the US will want to lean more toward Qatari mediation with Iran moving forward. Qatar was heavily attacked by Iranian missiles and drones despite its solid working relationship with TehranImage: Mohammed Salem/REUTERS"
Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has held calls with officials in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey, Kuwait, and others to address regional tensions and de-escalation efforts. He met US Vice President JD Vance, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and White House envoy Steve Witkoff to support efforts aimed at permanently ending the war with Iran. Qatar has repeatedly supported Pakistan’s mediation role, but its outreach indicates broader diplomatic involvement. Analysts describe Qatar as playing a vital behind-the-scenes role by bridging divides between Tehran and Washington despite conflict and Iranian strikes. US officials have said Qataris were especially effective in negotiations with Iran, and Qatar’s experience and regional knowledge may lead the US to rely more on Qatari mediation going forward.
#qatar #us-iran-relations #diplomacy-and-mediation #middle-east-de-escalation #gulf-regional-security
Read at www.dw.com
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