In meeting with VP Vance, Qatar stresses importance for Pakistani mediation of U.S.-Iran war
A senior Qatari official stressed the need for “all parties” to ease tensions in the Middle East during a meeting with Vice President JD Vance.
Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Than met with Vance in Washington on Friday as the United States awaits Iran’s response to a peace proposal.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry was the first to offer an account of the meeting. It said the Sheikh “stressed the need for all parties to engage in the ongoing mediation efforts, to pave the way for resolving the root causes of the crisis through peaceful means and dialogue, leading to a comprehensive agreement to achieve lasting peace in the region.”
Qatar, like other US allies in the Gulf, has been heavily affected by the war. It is the target of Iranian strikes and faces a negative impact on its energy and tourism sectors.
As many countries seek to end the conflict, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that Washington expects a response from Iran on the U.S. peace deal by the end of the day.
Speaking to reporters in Italy, Mr. Rubio gave few details but said the public should know more about the Iranian response early this weekend.
Iranian officials said Thursday they were still studying the U.S. proposal, which was relayed by Pakistani mediators earlier this week. The terms of the agreement have not been made public.
The United States and Israel launched a military operation against Iran on February 28 to try to curb its nuclear ambitions, missile program and support for terrorist proxies in the Middle East.
Iran responded by cracking down on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, an oil bottleneck, and striking U.S. allies in the Gulf region.
The parties have been operating under a ceasefire since April 7, but have struggled to agree on a lasting peace deal.
Mr Trump has threatened to restart a massive bombing campaign against Iran if it does not accept the deal, which could provide a framework for the start of comprehensive negotiations.
U.S. and Iranian forces exchanged fire Thursday and Friday, jeopardizing the fragile ceasefire between the nations.
The US military announced on Friday that it had intercepted two Iranian oil tankers trying to escape the blockade by entering Iranian ports.
US Central Command released photographs of the smoking tankers after a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet fired precision munitions into their funnels.
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates said Friday that its air defense systems were actively intercepting Iranian ballistic missiles and drones, a day after U.S. and Iranian forces exchanged fire in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran says its aggression in the strait was a response to U.S. ceasefire violations the day before, when U.S. ships reportedly attacked an Iranian tanker heading toward the Strait of Hormuz.
“Every time a diplomatic solution is on the table, the United States opts for a reckless military adventure. Is this a crude pressure tactic? Or the result of a spoiler who has once again duped POTUS into another quagmire?” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X. “Whatever the causes, the result is the same: Iranians never give in to pressure.”
