On Tuesday, September 29, Qatar said it was still relaying messages between the United States and Iran as it sought to mediate an end to the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran in February. “Qatar’s mediation efforts are ongoing, and we are currently relaying messages between the American and Iranian sides,” ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari told a press conference in Doha.
Tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate, while implementation of an agreement to halt hostilities remains stalled. Qatar’s announcement places its diplomatic effort between two governments whose earlier memorandum addressed both the fighting and navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Qatar’s mediation effort
Majed al-Ansari said Qatar was carrying messages between the American and Iranian sides. The mediation is ongoing. The effort hasn’t ended as tensions between the two sides continue to rise.
Al-Ansari made the statement at a press conference in Doha. His remarks concerned Qatar’s work to mediate an end to the Middle East war and its role relaying messages between Washington and Tehran.
Asked whether the United States might launch a large-scale military attack on Iran, al-Ansari said Qatar was concerned about escalation in the region. “We are concerned about any escalation in the region and are working to find a peaceful solution,” he said.
His answer described Qatar’s stated approach as seeking a peaceful solution while continuing mediation. The ministry spokesperson didn’t describe the possibility of a large-scale U.S. attack as settled; he was asked about that possibility and responded by voicing concern about escalation.
War, ceasefire and stalled agreement
The United States and Israel launched a war against Iran in February. Iran responded with attacks on U.S. assets across the region. A ceasefire agreement followed in April.
In June, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding intended to halt hostilities and maintain navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The agreement addressed both the fighting and passage through the strategic waterway.
Disagreements about security in the Strait of Hormuz stalled implementation of the memorandum. Tensions between the two sides continued to escalate as implementation remained stalled, according to the account of the diplomatic efforts.
The sequence described by Qatar’s announcement runs from the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, to Iran’s attacks on U.S. assets across the region, to the April ceasefire and the June memorandum between Washington and Tehran. The memorandum hasn’t proceeded as agreed, with security in the waterway at the center of the stated disagreements.
Qatar’s current role, as described by its Foreign Ministry, is to relay messages between the American and Iranian sides and mediate an end to the war. The ministry’s statement didn’t claim the stalled memorandum had been implemented. Al-Ansari said Qatar remained concerned about escalation and was working for a peaceful solution.