Qatar urges Iran to show good faith, reopen Strait of Hormuz as talks renew

Qatar said on Tuesday that Iran must show good faith, stop threatening countries of the region and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as mediation efforts to end the US-Iran war renewed. Ibrahim bin Sultan Al-Hashmi, Director of the Media and Communication Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made the remarks. The Peninsula Qatar, Bol News, The Straits Times (carrying a Reuters report) and Islamabad Post all reported the comments, which followed talks in Tehran on Monday.

What we know

• The Peninsula Qatar reported that Al-Hashmi said the region needed a new security framework to prevent further violence.
• Bol News and Islamabad Post quoted Al-Hashmi as saying: "We have heard positive statements from the Iranian side... but they still need to demonstrate good faith, stop threatening countries of the region, and reopen the Strait of Hormuz so that all those efforts can go towards having a safe and prosperous region".
• The Peninsula Qatar reported that Monday's talks in Tehran included Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Pakistan's army chief General Asim Munir and Turkiye's intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, and that Iran described them as "very good".
• The Straits Times, citing Reuters, reported that Qatar and Pakistan have been mediating between Washington and Tehran to end the US-Israeli war on Iran, which it said has disrupted global shipping and oil supplies.
• Islamabad Post reported that a Qatari delegation visited Tehran on Sunday, according to Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, and that Qatar's ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian discussed the war and the blockaded Strait of Hormuz at a meeting in Moscow, the emir's office said.
• The Straits Times reported that President Donald Trump said on Friday the US may strike Iran again, and that Iranian security officials told Reuters Tehran had drawn up detailed plans to attack Gulf undersea cables if the US and Israel attack again.

What we don't know yet

• The content of the Qatari visit to Tehran: The Peninsula Qatar reported that, asked for details, Al-Hashmi said "messages are ongoing and the exchange of ideas continues through the mediators".
• What Iran will say in response to Qatar's appeal: none of the four reports includes an Iranian reply to Al-Hashmi's remarks.
• The terms of the new security framework Al-Hashmi called for, and the "principles" he referred to, which the reports do not spell out.
• Whether US military action will follow: Bol News referred to reports of possible action after the midterm elections without detailing them.

Background

Qatar Standard reported in October that the United States and Iran each claimed control of the Strait of Hormuz while attacks on ships continued, with Al Jazeera citing UKMTO as saying at least 12 ships were attacked in the week ending on October 16. In September, Qatar Standard reported that unnamed media sources said Washington and Tehran were exploring a deal to reopen the strait in exchange for the US lifting its economic blockade of Tehran.