Qatar is trying to reopen the Strait of Hormuz: the prime minister will travel to Tehran
Kyiv • UNN
The Qatari prime minister will discuss de-escalation and the restoration of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz with Iran. Due to the war, the flow of oil has fallen to 5 million barrels per day.
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani will visit Tehran on Thursday to continue mediation efforts between Iran and the United States and discuss restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reports, writes UNN.
Details
Qatar, which is a U.S. ally and Iran’s neighbor, has previously mediated between Washington and Tehran and helped achieve the June ceasefire. Hostilities have now largely ceased, but there has been no diplomatic breakthrough.
One of the key issues remains control over the Strait of Hormuz. Before the war, about 20 million barrels of oil per day passed through it, but that figure has now fallen to approximately 5 million. According to the International Maritime Organization, 70 incidents have occurred in the strait since the start of the war, resulting in the deaths of 19 sailors.
The Qatari prime minister will also discuss ways to de-escalate the situation and create conditions for the resumption of dialogue with Iranian officials. Meanwhile, Tehran and Oman have not yet concluded negotiations on an agreement regarding the movement of vessels through the strait.
Against the backdrop of an almost month-long absence of new strikes, the United States appears to be shifting its focus from military to economic pressure, tightening sanctions against Iran and its trading partners.