Qatar’s prime minister said on Tuesday that the country had brokered a ceasefire with Iran amid the ongoing war with Israel at the request of the United States to play a role as a liaison.
He also said that relations with Iran were scarred by an Iranian missile volley at a United States airbase in the Gulf Arab state, but added that he hoped ties would eventually “come back to normal”.
Iran responded to US participation in Israel’s air war against Iran by firing missiles on Monday at the Al Ubeid air base, but no one was hurt after Tehran gave warning, and a ceasefire was announced hours later by Washington.
Qatar, situated just across the Gulf from Iran, has often acted as a mediator in regional conflicts, including between Iran and the US and between Israel and Hamas in the continuing Gaza conflict.
“What happened will definitely have its scar on the relationship [with Iran], but I hope by the time everyone learns the lesson that this kind of neighbourhood relationship should not be violated and should not be undermined,” Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, told a press conference with his Lebanese counterpart in Doha.
The prime minister described the attack as “unacceptable” but said Qatar’s response would be “diplomatic and legal”.
“The attack on the State of Qatar is an unacceptable act, especially that the State of Qatar has been making great diplomatic efforts in order to have the situation de-escalated,” he said.
“The partnership between Qatar and the US is just growing stronger … and I hope the good relationship with Iran comes back to normal as soon as possible,” he said.
Al Thani added that Qatar had liaised with Iran at Washington’s request to help facilitate the ceasefire.
“We hope the ceasefire will continue as agreed upon, and we urge both the US and Iran to return to the negotiating table with the aim of reaching a comprehensive diplomatic solution, something that Qatar has consistently sought,” he said.
He added that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed regret in a phone call with Qatar’s ruling Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani that Tehran’s target in retaliating for US airstrikes was a military base in Qatar.
Sheikh Mohammed also urged Washington and Tehran to resume Oman-mediated talks on Iran’s nuclear programme that were frozen when Israel began striking Iran.
He said that Qatar, a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, was working on resuming talks for a fresh ceasefire in the Gaza conflict.
“We are still continuing our efforts, and God willing, we will try to look for an opportunity during the next two days for having indirect negotiations between the two parties,” he said.
“We hope that the Israeli side will not exploit the ceasefire with Iran to unleash what it wants to unleash on Gaza and continue its bombing of” the strip, Sheikh Mohammed added.
Qatar PM persuaded Iran to accept ceasefire, says source with knowledge of talks
Separately, a source with knowledge of the talks said Qatar’s prime minister persuaded Iran to agree to the US-proposed ceasefire with Israel after Iranian missiles targeted the American base near Doha.
Sheikh Mohammed spoke to the Iranians at Washington’s request following Monday’s unprecedented attack on Qatari soil, the source told AFP.
“In the aftermath of the strikes on Al Udeid [military base], President [Donald] Trump told the Emir of Qatar [that] Israel had signed off on an American ceasefire proposal,” the source said.
“The US president then asked that Qatar help get Iran to agree to a deal,” the source added, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
US Vice President JD Vance spoke to the Qatari prime minister, “who persuaded Iran to agree to the proposal in a call with the Iranians”, the source said.
Israel said today it had agreed to the ceasefire, which is now “in effect”, according to Trump.
Iran has yet to formally accept the truce, but its top security body said the Islamic Republic’s forces had “compelled” Israel to “unilaterally” cease fire.
