Qatar said on Tuesday that it is continuing mediation between the United States and Iran, as both sides sharpened their rhetoric and a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz remained out of reach. The war, which began with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February, is now in its seventh month.
Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said meetings and message exchanges were ongoing, including in New York, and that the aim was to "bridge the gap" and restore free navigation through the strait, a narrow waterway through which a large share of Gulf oil exports passes. He warned that the global economic toll was becoming "unbearable", citing disruption to fertiliser inputs such as urea and ammonia, as well as helium, petrochemicals and aluminium. He added that Qatar was pursuing peace even though Iranian missiles had struck it, and said Tehran must make clear it will not attack neighbours that have not joined the war.
The diplomacy has been uneven. Axios, citing three sources, reported only "limited" progress, with neither side willing to concede. US officials had told Axios and CNN that President Donald Trump was prepared to ease sanctions and release frozen Iranian funds in return for concrete nuclear steps. Trump then wrote on Truth Social: "This is untrue. I offered them NOTHING." He told reporters he did not know whether Iran would surrender soon but that it "will" eventually, and said the war would end "very soon" without giving details. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran expected a formal US reply to its proposal, which includes a seven-day ceasefire across the region, including Lebanon, the unfreezing of assets, relief for its oil sector and an end to the US naval blockade of its ports. Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei said Trump was stuck in a quagmire where he could neither negotiate nor fight. Iran has also reportedly told regional mediators, including Pakistan and Egypt, that it will not consider nuclear concessions until Washington returns to a memorandum agreed in June.
The tone from Tehran hardened. Parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said no regional infrastructure would be safe if Iran's security was not guaranteed. The Revolutionary Guards dismissed US claims that the strait is open, saying any vessel attempting passage risks being struck or hitting a mine. The Guards also published a 25-page open letter urging American voters, ahead of November's midterm elections, to reject Trump's policies. Washington, meanwhile, announced sanctions on 13 individuals and entities, including firms in Russia, China, Hong Kong and Pakistan, accused of helping Iran obtain weapons and components. One of the Russian targets was accused of shipping arms for the Russian government.
The stakes extend well beyond the region. Brent crude traded near $104 a barrel on Tuesday, easing after Saudi Arabia resumed loadings at its Red Sea port of Yanbu. The US is offering to loan 40 million barrels from its strategic reserve to curb fuel prices, which are also affected by Russia's war in Ukraine. With oil prices a growing political issue in the United States, the stalemate carries economic and electoral weight, and some US officials reportedly fear a return to major combat operations after the midterms.