Qatar’s PM-FM meets Iranian leaders in Tehran as Doha pushes for de-escalation

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, has met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and senior security officials during the first high-level visit between the two countries since the U.S.-Iran war began in FebruaryQatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani met a number of senior Iranian officials in Tehran on Thursday, pressing for de-escalation and a return to dialogue as regional tensions continue to mount.Sheikh Mohammed met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf during the high-level visit. The talks focused on regional developments, the consequences of the escalation and efforts to create conditions for renewed diplomacy.Sheikh Mohammed and Pezeshkian discussed developments in the region and their impact on security and stability, as well as efforts to reduce tensions and foster an environment conducive to dialogue.Iranian media reported that Pezeshkian called for the resumption of previously agreed bilateral initiatives, saying the conflict had delayed the implementation of agreements and hindered the expansion of relations between Tehran and Doha.Pezeshkian described Iran and Qatar as “friendly and brotherly countries” and said outstanding differences could be addressed through dialogue. He also credited Qatar and Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani with playing a role in regional mediation efforts.Doha calls for ‘wisdom’ amid regional escalation The talks with Rezaei carried a sharper security message. According to Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed stressed the importance of exercising “wisdom and responsibility” in addressing the crisis to protect regional security and stability.According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, Rezaei warned that Iran would respond forcefully to any U.S. aggression, saying an attack would result in damage to American military and economic interests. He also said Tehran would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until Washington took practical steps to meet Iranian conditions.The Strait of Hormuz has become a central issue in the diplomatic push, with Qatar calling for the restoration of freedom of navigation and a return to the conditions that existed before the conflict.Sheikh Mohammed’s meeting with Ghalibaf also focused on regional developments and efforts to reduce tensions.According to Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Qatari prime minister stressed that the diplomatic process should resume, emphasising that dialogue was the best way to resolve differences and prevent further escalation.During the talks, Ghalibaf strongly criticised U.S. policies in the Middle East, stating that Washington’s repeated miscalculations and violations of prior agreements are actively driving instability across the region, according to the official Iranian news agency Fars.“The Trump administration makes wrong decisions with wrong information, and with such miscalculations, it not only wastes the financial, military and human resources of the U.S. and the future of the region, but also targets the interests of the Iranian nation and creates widespread insecurity in the region,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated, according to Fars.Qatar pushes for dialogue and freedom of navigationSheikh Mohammed’s meetings in Tehran follow several days of intensified regional diplomacy aimed at reviving negotiations between Iran and the United States.In a phone call with Araghchi on Tuesday, the Qatari prime minister discussed the latest regional developments, including ongoing talks between Oman and Iran over a proposed interim framework for the Strait of Hormuz. The proposal includes a temporary joint shipping corridor through the waterway and a joint project to clear mines from the strait.He also met with Araghchi in Tehran on Thursday to discuss regional de-escalation and efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.During the talks, the two officials reviewed the latest regional developments and efforts to lower tensions and create conditions conducive to dialogue, aiming to bolster regional security and stability.Qatar has backed diplomatic initiatives aimed at restoring freedom of navigation and reducing the economic and security fallout from the conflict.Doha has also repeatedly called for the resumption of U.S.-Iran negotiations, positioning itself as a channel between the two sides.The Tehran visit comes at a sensitive moment for the region, with the future of the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions on Iran and the possibility of renewed U.S.-Iran talks emerging as key issues in the latest diplomatic efforts.While Qatari officials have emphasised de-escalation and dialogue, Iranian officials have continued to warn that Tehran will respond to any further U.S. military action and have linked the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to the fulfilment of Iranian demands.