Qatar’s Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, is in Iran for talks aimed at de-escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington amid continued disruption in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Qatar, which has served as a back channel between the United States and Iran, said Al Thani would visit Tehran to discuss ways to reduce tensions and create conditions conducive to dialogue.
A spokesperson for the Qatari prime minister said on X that Al Thani would meet with several Iranian officials during the visit.
“The discussions will also address freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz & the need for it to return to the status quo prior to February 28,” the spokesperson said.
The diplomatic outreach comes as concerns over maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz persist following another reported attack on an oil tanker.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said an oil tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile early Thursday off the Omani coast.
The resulting fire was extinguished, all crew members were reported safe, and an investigation into the incident is underway, the agency said.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has remained significantly below pre-war levels despite US efforts to facilitate the movement of vessels along the Omani side of the waterway.
Only five ships made confirmed crossings on Tuesday, down from seven the previous day and sharply below the more than 130 vessels that crossed the strait daily before the war, according to shipping data firm Kpler.
All five vessels used a unilateral route designated by Iran for shipping, Kpler said.
The latest tanker incident also raises fresh questions over US President Donald Trump’s assertion that the strategic waterway had been cleared of mines and was safe for navigation.
Trump said on Wednesday that the Strait of Hormuz had been fully cleared of mines and described it as “a functioning strait.”
“Yes, every once in a while there will be a drone or a rocket or something shot, but it is a very functioning strait. A lot of oil is pouring out,” Trump said.
However, US allies remain sceptical that Iranian mines have been completely cleared from the waterway, according to Bloomberg.
Iran and Oman have meanwhile agreed to a temporary maritime corridor intended to facilitate safer passage through the strait.
Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, said the waterway would not fully reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim peace deal framework signed in June, which has since lapsed.
The US military has maintained a naval blockade against Iranian vessels and has used the southern Omani lane to escort oil tankers through the Gulf.
The security situation has been compounded by Washington’s latest sanctions campaign against Iran, which the Trump administration has described as an “economic onslaught” targeting Tehran’s financial connections around the world.
The escalation has further complicated prospects for renewed peace talks between Washington and Tehran.
In an interview with Al Jazeera on Wednesday, Trump said he had “no time schedule” for resuming negotiations with Iran to end the six-month war.
Asked whether economic pressure was more effective than military strikes, Trump said: “I think they are both effective.”
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has called on the United Nations and its member states to condemn the US sanctions campaign, describing it as “economic terrorism.”
Araghchi said the UN has a “legal and moral responsibility” to denounce the sanctions, which he characterised as illegal and criminal.
Al Thani’s visit to Tehran therefore comes at a critical moment, with Qatar seeking to use its diplomatic channels to ease tensions while efforts to restore safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz remain unresolved.
Boluwatife Enome
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