Qatar steps up Iran mediation as Trump signals momentum for U.S.-Iran deal at UNGA

Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim joined Trump and Gulf leaders on the sidelines of UNGA as mediators work to revive U.S.-Iran talks and address Hormuz, energy security and the post-war phaseUnited States President Donald Trump has signalled growing momentum towards a potential agreement with Iran during a multilateral meeting attended by Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and regional Gulf leaders on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, on Tuesday. Opening the U.S.-hosted meeting, Trump said U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and presidential adviser Jared Kushner had held what he described as a “very productive” meeting earlier in the day with mediators working between Washington and Tehran.“Let’s see what happens today,” Trump said. “They’ve been mediating for a while, but I think there’s a lot of momentum for them to make a deal.”While Trump did not identify the mediators of Iran in his remarks, Qatar has been among the regional states working to restore negotiations between the U.S. and Iran as tensions over the U.S.-Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz continue. According to a statement released by Qatar’s Amiri Diwan, the meeting focused on the latest security developments in the Middle East, their implications for regional and international stability and their impact on energy supplies and the economy. Leaders also discussed proposed strategies for the post-war phase and related arrangements, as well as efforts to advance peace and stability by prioritising dialogue and diplomatic solutions. Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani also attended the high-level meeting as part of the Amir’s delegation.Trump turns to Sheikh Tamim as he talks Hormuz and oil The Strait of Hormuz featured heavily in Trump’s remarks, with the U.S. President linking the waterway’s security to Washington’s wider strategy towards Iran. Trump said the U.S. Navy had cleared Iranian mines from channels in the Strait and was facilitating the movement of oil out of the Gulf. He said more than one billion barrels of oil had been escorted out of the Gulf during the recent period, before turning to Sheikh Tamim with a light-hearted reference to the scale of the figure. “And that’s not a lot to Tamim, but it’s a lot to most people,” Trump said, before reiterating that one billion barrels remained “a lot of oil.” The remarks came as Trump thanked the leaders gathered around the table and repeatedly referred to the U.S. relationships with regional partners. But behind the lighter exchange sits one of the most consequential issues facing Gulf states since the outbreak of the conflict: restoring normal navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and preventing the waterway from becoming a permanent pressure point in regional disputes. Trump said the U.S. was now escorting vessels through the waterway and claimed oil flows through the Strait had risen significantly since the beginning of the conflict. Where does Qatar fit into the Iran mediation? Trump’s comments come as Qatar has stepped up efforts to bring Washington and Tehran back to the negotiating table Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has said Doha is working alongside regional partners, including Oman and Pakistan, to facilitate engagement between Iran and the U.S. and bridge differences between the two sides. Earlier this week, MoFA Spokesperson Majed Al Ansari told Bloomberg mediators had been moving between capitals as proposals were exchanged in an attempt to restart negotiations. That effort follows months of Qatari involvement in the diplomatic track.In June, Al Ansari, in a weekly MoFA briefing, confirmed that Witkoff and Kushner had travelled to Doha for meetings with mediators on Iran and other regional files, while technical contacts between the U.S. and Iranian sides continued through intermediaries. Qatar has consistently maintained that the crisis cannot ultimately be resolved militarily, arguing that negotiations must address not only the immediate confrontation but the wider security concerns of states across the region. That position was reiterated by Sheikh Tamim in his address to the 81st UNGA on Tuesday, in which he described mediation, humanitarian action, and positions in international law as core elements of Qatar’s foreign policy, stressing that Doha would continue to pursue peace and facilitate dialogue between parties to conflicts. Trump meanwhile on Tuesday said that talks were continuing and expressed confidence that a settlement could be ultimately reached, while maintaining that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remained a central U.S. demand.Hormuz remains at the centre of the crisisFor Qatar and its Gulf neighbours, the Strait of Hormuz is not simply another negotiating point between Washington and Tehran.The narrow waterway connects the Gulf with the Arabian Sea and remains critical to regional energy exports and international trade, making any prolonged disruption a direct economic and security concern for states on both sides of the Gulf.Qatar has repeatedly called for the restoration of freedom of navigation through the Strait in accordance with international law.