DOHA, Sept. 1 — Qatar said on Tuesday that diplomatic efforts with its regional partners are intensifying to reach a swift solution to the Strait of Hormuz crisis, warning that leaving the issue unresolved would lead to further escalation.
Speaking at the foreign ministry’s weekly media briefing, ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said discussions remained underway with Qatar’s mediation partners, including Oman and Pakistan, following a series of diplomatic visits and consultations in recent days.
Al Ansari said that there was no “tangible result” yet to announce but that further outcomes of the discussions and visits would be disclosed in the coming days, adding that diplomatic efforts over the past several days had centered on resolving the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
He said that Qatar was working with its partners to ensure that the crisis ends through “a diplomatic resolution that guarantees that the strait is open.” Such a solution should allow products from the region to reach global markets, guarantee regional security and address the aspirations of the region’s peoples for prosperity and security, Al Ansari added.
On Feb. 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the region, and tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz.
On June 18, the United States and Iran signed a peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) to end the war in the region on all fronts. Under the MoU, they were scheduled to hold negotiations within 60 days, which ended on Aug. 17, to reach a final agreement, but the fate of the talks remains unclear. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
