Qatar says Iran and US diplomatic efforts continue without direct talks

Qatar said on Tuesday that efforts to find a diplomatic solution between the United States and Iran were continuing, but that no direct talks between the two countries were planned, LRT reported, citing BNS.

“We can confirm that efforts with all parties are still continuing,” Majed al Ansari, a spokesman for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, told reporters.

He said the discussions were focused on a short-term solution that could allow negotiations to resume and lead to broader mediation efforts. Qatar is also prioritising de-escalation and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway, while seeking to create an opening for diplomacy between the two sides.

“We hope that if we can quickly resume negotiations, we will be able to move towards an important agreement,” al Ansari said.

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that, at the request of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries, he had agreed to continue negotiations with Iran. He said Tehran had a “last chance” in the talks and that the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened “as soon as tomorrow”.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry denied on Monday that negotiations with Washington were taking place.

Qatar, a key mediator between Iran and the United States, had previously refused to begin talks while Iran was shelling the country. Tehran launched an unprecedented aerial bombardment against Persian Gulf states in response to strikes by the United States and Israel that began in late February.

Qatar has recently taken a more active role in the negotiations alongside Pakistan and Oman, a traditional mediator. “Qatar, Pakistan and now Oman are working together,” al Ansari said, adding that Qatar was closely cooperating with Oman by exchanging ideas and proposals from both sides.

US sees chance for agreement on Strait of Hormuz

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the United States could reach an agreement with Iran on reopening the Strait of Hormuz by Wednesday, adding that this would stabilise energy prices.

“We are negotiating with the Iranians, and I think there is a possibility that today or tomorrow we will reach an agreement on reopening the strait and move towards a more normalised situation in this conflict,” Bessent told CNBC on Tuesday.

Asked whether such an agreement would allow Iran to charge fees to ships passing through the strait, Bessent said he believed it would provide freedom of movement.

His comments echoed Trump’s statements on Monday that the strait could be reopened within hours after the president abandoned threats to launch a large-scale military strike against Iran.

On Tuesday, an unidentified projectile hit a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Bessent said hundreds of ships were waiting there to leave and expressed optimism that an agreement would help energy prices stabilise. He added that many ships were already departing despite the risks.