CAIRO/DUBAI, 27 August 2026 (Nosheen): Qatar’s Prime Minister is set to visit Tehran on Thursday in an effort to revive diplomatic engagement between the United States and Iran amid continued tensions over Washington’s plans to increase economic pressure on Tehran.Qatar, which is a Gulf neighbour of Iran and a close US ally, has played an important role as a back-channel mediator between the two sides and helped secure a ceasefire in June that temporarily halted hostilities. The visit comes as the conflict approaches its sixth month, with fighting largely reduced but diplomatic progress remaining elusive. Major differences persist between Washington and Tehran, particularly over the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for global energy supplies. During the visit, Qatar is expected to discuss ongoing mediation efforts, freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and conditions required to reduce regional tensions.The Strait has become a major point of contention between Iran and the United States. Before the war began on February 28, around one-fifth of the world’s oil supplies passed through the strategic waterway.Although military attacks have largely subsided, the United States has increasingly relied on economic pressure, including plans to impose additional sanctions on countries and companies trading with Iran.

The latest ship-tracking data showed that oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz had fallen to around 5 million barrels per day, compared with approximately 20 million barrels per day before the conflict. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Iran and Oman had reached an understanding on the sharing of the waterway and its revenues. However, a senior Iranian official later said the two countries were still working on the details of a possible agreement. Despite significant damage to Iran’s conventional military capabilities during the conflict, Tehran has retained missile and drone capabilities that could threaten Gulf states hosting US military bases and disrupt oil tanker traffic through the Strait. The International Maritime Organization has reported dozens of incidents in the Strait of Hormuz since February 28, resulting in the deaths of seafarers and disrupting international maritime traffic. Qatar’s latest diplomatic initiative comes amid broader international efforts to reduce tensions in the Middle East and find a negotiated solution to the US-Iran crisis.Doha has continued to position itself as an intermediary between the two sides, with its leadership seeking to promote dialogue, freedom of navigation and a reduction in regional tensions.