Qatar has stepped up diplomatic efforts to revive stalled talks between Iran and the United States, with the Gulf state’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, travelling to Tehran as Washington maintains that it is not currently negotiating with Iran.
Al Thani held talks with Iranian officials on Thursday, including parliament speaker and senior negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, as Qatar sought to encourage a return to diplomacy and find a pathway towards reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy shipping route.
However, US President Donald Trump said Washington had no plans to engage Tehran at present. “We don’t want to speak to them. We’re not looking to meet or anything,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
The diplomatic push comes after months of conflict between Iran and US-Israeli forces, with major combat operations now paused but no broader peace agreement reached. The Strait of Hormuz also remains largely restricted, keeping pressure on global energy and shipping markets.
Iran has made the reopening of the waterway conditional on concessions from Washington. Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the US must end its blockade of Iranian ports, provide compensation and remove sanctions before Tehran would move towards reopening the strait.
“We do not trust the United States; it has repeatedly betrayed diplomacy and negotiations,” Rezaei said.
Qatar said Al Thani stressed the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Discussions also covered a proposal for a temporary joint Iranian-Omani shipping corridor and a project to clear mines from the waterway.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Iran and Oman had agreed in principle on managing traffic through the strait and sharing revenues, although an Iranian official later said negotiations on the details were still continuing. Rezaei said ships could use a designated central channel if Washington met Tehran’s conditions.
The US, meanwhile, has shifted its focus towards economic pressure. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Trump “continues to retain all options on the table”, adding that “no negotiations are happening right now” and would remain suspended until Trump believes Iran is prepared to negotiate meaningfully.
The International Maritime Organisation has reported 70 incidents in the Strait of Hormuz since February 28, resulting in the deaths of 19 seafarers, underscoring the continuing security risks around one of the world’s most important energy corridors.