The foreign ministers of Qatar and Russia held a phone call on Tuesday to discuss diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions in the Middle East. According to a statement from the Qatari Foreign Ministry, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Sergey Lavrov reviewed regional developments.
Al Thani stressed the importance of all parties adhering to dialogue and diplomacy. The Qatari foreign minister specifically noted the need to implement the memorandum of understanding signed between the US and Iran on June 18. He recalled that the agreement includes provisions such as ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Reiterating Qatar's full support for all efforts to reach a comprehensive agreement that would ensure lasting peace in the region, Al Thani called for de-escalation.
This diplomatic contact came after US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that 'Iran and other countries in the Middle East have asked for time to complete an agreement that would lead to the immediate, full, and comprehensive reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the elimination of the Iranian nuclear threat.'
However, Iranian media on Sunday denied reports of an agreement with Washington on the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, calling them 'untrue'.
Tensions in the region escalated after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28. Tehran said more than 3,000 people were killed in those attacks, while Iran also announced that US and Israeli soldiers were killed in retaliatory strikes.
Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding on June 18 and began negotiations toward a final agreement. However, a dispute arose over ensuring freedom of navigation and security in the Strait of Hormuz.
The US carried out attacks on Iran between July 8 and 24, and Iran said it responded by striking US military facilities and equipment in Jordan, Bahrain, and Kuwait.
