Qatar emir, Iran president discuss Hormuz blockade in Moscow
The meeting came a day after Pakistan's army chief, Saudi and Turkish officials held talks with Iran in Tehran to stop the eight-month war reigniting.
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met in Moscow on Tuesday and discussed the Middle East war and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the emir's office said.
The meeting came a day after senior officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye held talks with Iran in Tehran in an attempt to stop the eight-month war from reigniting.
The Qatari and Iranian leaders met on the sidelines of a summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum. Pezeshkian was also due to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin later on Tuesday. Iranian state television said the two leaders reviewed relations between Tehran and Doha and stressed the importance of deepening political and economic ties and of using existing potential to widen cooperation.
According to the report, Pakistan and Qatar have been at the forefront of efforts to secure a lasting deal between the United States and Iran. Monday's talks in Tehran brought together Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan's army chief General Asim Munir and Turkiye's intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin. Iran described the meeting as "very good".
A Qatari delegation travelled to Tehran on Sunday, Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said, and reviewed developments in the region, "foremost among them the latest on the negotiations, the Strait of Hormuz, and energy supplies".
On Tuesday, Qatari foreign ministry official Ibrahim Al-Hashmi said the region needed a new security framework to prevent further violence. "The ball is now in Iran's court to commit to these principles and demonstrate good faith," he said. Doha had heard positive statements from the Iranian side, he added, but Tehran still needed to stop threatening countries in the region and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The diplomacy follows warnings by the United States, Iran and Israel that hostilities could restart. The eight-month war has seen Tehran strike US allies in the region, including Qatar. In early October, Putin said Russia was prepared to take part in mediation to bring the war to an end.
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