Amid escalating mutual military threats between the US and Iran, regional mediators have launched intense phone diplomacy to de-escalate tensions. Last week, officials from Qatar, Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey held numerous talks with both US and Iranian counterparts to calm the situation and set a date for a new round of negotiations.
According to a statement from the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani held phone calls with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Sheikh Mohammed reiterated Qatar's support for initiatives to contain the escalation and called for a comprehensive agreement to achieve sustainable peace in the region.
These diplomatic efforts intensified after US President Donald Trump declared that Iran's attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz were the end of the ceasefire and launched new airstrikes. Iran, in turn, retaliated by targeting US allies Kuwait and Bahrain, and accused the US of striking an area near its sole nuclear power plant.
A US official who spoke to CNN said Washington remains committed to finding a solution with Iran and that technical talks on the nuclear file are continuing. The official stressed that the main goal is to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. A source close to the White House said Trump wants the war to end, but that he will not stand idly by if Iran continues to fire on ships.
In a meeting with Pakistan's Chief of General Staff, General Asim Munir, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the latest US attacks as a violation of the memorandum of understanding between the two countries and warned against a new American 'adventure.' A source from a regional mediator country said the fate of the memorandum depends on Iran's stance. Mediators believe that the recent attacks in the Strait of Hormuz were orchestrated by anti-agreement elements within the Iranian regime.
Disruption of the critical waterway in the Strait of Hormuz risks reigniting the conflict in the region. The foreign ministers of Oman and Iran stressed that freedom of navigation and the flow of commercial ships in the strait must be guaranteed under international law. Iran's official news agency reported that it is committed to ensuring the safety of maritime navigation, but will continue to defend its sovereignty.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) meanwhile stated that it has facilitated the passage of more than 800 commercial ships and 380 million barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz since early May, rejecting Iran's claim of control over the strait.
