Qatar moves to mediate between Iran and the United States after Donald Trump says the US is not talking directly to Iran. Reports say Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, raises the call for renewed diplomacy in discussions with Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, in Tehran.
The outlets also place the mediation in the context of an ongoing pause in major combat operations, which has lasted for weeks. Despite the lull, progress toward a broader peace agreement involving the US and Iran is described as limited. With the US signalling it is not in direct talks with Tehran, Qatar’s role is presented as an effort to keep diplomatic channels open and encourage movement toward negotiations.
Some coverage focuses on the meetings in Tehran and Qatar’s diplomatic messaging, while other accounts emphasize the wider stalled negotiation process and the gap between the ceasefire environment and talks for a more comprehensive settlement.
