[54529] Diplomatic efforts to end the war between the US and Iran; Qatar leads the mediation

[54529] Diplomatic efforts to end the war between the US and Iran; Qatar leads the mediation

Increased diplomatic efforts to stop the US-Iran war

According to a report by the Axios website (cited by Iran International), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met on Saturday in Miami with the Prime Minister of Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. The meeting focused on examining ways to reach an agreement to end the war between the US and Iran. Iran International notes that Qatar has returned to playing a central role as an unofficial communication channel between the countries in recent weeks.

Sources cited by Khabar Fouri report that the mediation efforts are not exclusive to Qatar but include a coalition consisting of Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. According to the report, the parties are working to formulate a "memorandum of understanding to end the war," with the mediators urging both sides to "reduce tensions and focus on reaching an agreement."

At the same time, DW Persian reported that the Prime Minister of Qatar met in Washington with US Vice President J.D. Vance, where he emphasized the need for a diplomatic solution and a "comprehensive agreement that will ensure stable peace in the region." Meanwhile, the foreign ministers of Qatar and Saudi Arabia held a phone conversation in which they expressed a joint commitment to reducing regional tensions, as reported by Akhbar Fouri.

On the practical level, the reports illustrate the impact of the war on maritime trade routes. According to data from Lloyd's List cited by the AP agency, from the beginning of the conflict until May 4, only 534 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz. This is a sharp drop compared to a normal traffic volume of about 6,500 to 8,450 vessels in a comparable period, a figure that highlights the significant disruption to global trade routes as a result of the war.