Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, visited Tehran on Thursday as diplomatic efforts intensified to ease tensions between Iran and the United States.
Al Thani held talks with Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, as concerns grew over escalating tensions and mounting risks to commercial shipping in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the discussions focused on finding “ways to de-escalate tensions” and creating conditions conducive to dialogue between the parties.
The talks were also expected to address freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and possible arrangements for restoring conditions in the waterway to those that existed before the conflict.
The Qatari visit came after the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization reported that an oil tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz.
The incident, which reportedly occurred on Tuesday in waters between Iran and Oman, sparked a fire aboard the vessel. The crew was reported safe, with no environmental damage recorded.
The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy and shipping corridors, has emerged as a major flashpoint in the conflict, with Iran asserting control over access through the waterway.
The latest incident has heightened concerns over the safety of commercial vessels, even as Iran and Oman are reportedly discussing arrangements aimed at managing shipping movements through the strait.
Meanwhile, Iran has rejected the latest sanctions imposed by the Trump administration, further deepening tensions between Tehran and Washington.
Qatar has increasingly played the role of a diplomatic intermediary in regional conflicts. Al Thani’s visit to Tehran comes amid renewed international efforts to reopen negotiations, reduce tensions and prevent the conflict from escalating further.
