Qatar said Tuesday, September 29, that it continues to relay messages between the United States and Iran, as tensions persist over security in the Strait of Hormuz and efforts to carry out a deal halting hostilities. The diplomacy follows Iran’s attacks on U.S. assets across the region after the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran in February.
“Qatar’s mediation efforts are ongoing, and we are currently relaying messages between the American and Iranian sides,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari told a press conference in Doha.
Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding in June to halt hostilities and maintain navigation in the strategic waterway. But disagreements over security in the Strait of Hormuz stalled implementation, while tensions between the sides continued to escalate.
Attacks and Ceasefire
The United States and Israel launched a war against Iran in February, according to the account of events provided with Qatar’s announcement. Iran responded with attacks on U.S. assets across the region. The article doesn’t specify where the attacks took place, what they targeted, or what effects they had.
A ceasefire agreement was reached in April. The account doesn’t detail its terms or identify the parties involved beyond the United States and Iran. It says the two sides later signed a memorandum of understanding in June, setting out an effort to halt hostilities and maintain navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
That memorandum hasn’t been fully implemented. Disagreements over security in the strategic waterway stalled implementation, even as tensions continued to escalate between Washington and Tehran. The account doesn’t describe the specific security disagreements or report any change to navigation arrangements.
Qatar’s Mediation Effort
Majed al-Ansari said Qatar was relaying messages between the American and Iranian sides. He made the statement at a press conference in Doha, where he also addressed the possibility of a large-scale U.S. military attack on Iran.
“We are concerned about any escalation in the region and are working to find a peaceful solution,” al-Ansari said. His remarks set out Qatar’s stated concern about escalation and its continuing effort to mediate between the two sides. He didn’t give details of the messages being relayed or identify specific proposals under discussion.
The ministry’s statement described the mediation as ongoing, not completed. It offered no timetable for a resolution, and the article reports no new agreement between Washington and Tehran. The central issues remain the stalled June memorandum and disagreements over security in the Strait of Hormuz.
Qatar’s account traces events from the war launched by the United States and Israel in February, to Iran’s attacks on U.S. assets, the April ceasefire, and the June memorandum of understanding. Implementation remains stalled. Tensions are still escalating, and Qatar says it continues to carry messages between Washington and Tehran. No further details on the diplomatic exchanges or the status of the ceasefire were provided.