Qatar PM visits Tehran to revive US-Iran diplomacy

Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani is scheduled to visit Tehran on Thursday to revive diplomatic efforts between the United States and Iran amid escalating tensions over sanctions and the Strait of Hormuz. The visit comes as the US-Iran conflict nears its sixth month, with fighting largely paused but no diplomatic breakthrough. Qatar, a US ally and Gulf neighbor of Iran, previously brokered a June memorandum of understanding that briefly halted hostilities but collapsed in July. The US has announced plans to increase economic pressure on Iran by sanctioning its trade partners, which Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned as 'economic terrorism.' The two sides remain at odds over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil supplies. Oil flows through the strait have fallen to a three-month low of about 5 million barrels per day, down from roughly 20 million before the war. Iran and Oman have been negotiating over the strait, with conflicting statements about whether a deal has been reached. Regional diplomatic efforts are intensifying, with Oman and Pakistan also engaging with Iran. The UN's International — International Maritime Organization has reported 70 incidents in the strait since February 28, killing 19 seafarers. Thousands have died in the broader conflict, mostly in Iran and Lebanon.