Pakistan and Qatar coordinate efforts for a new round of negotiations between the United States and Iran

The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif, met this Thursday in Doha with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, as part of a regional tour aimed at reactivating the peace process between Washington and Tehran. Both leaders highlighted the need to promote a second round of talks, following the failure of the first attempt held in Islamabad last weekend. During the meeting, Sharif and the Qatari emir analyzed the situation in the Middle East and reaffirmed their support for detente efforts. “Both sides supported actions to reduce tension and improve international coordination in favor of regional security and stability, in particular the preservation of energy supply chains,” noted the office of the Pakistani prime minister. The Emir of Qatar praised the role played by Islamabad as a key mediator before the international community and stressed the importance of maintaining open channels of dialogue.

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After the meeting, Tamim left for Oman, where he discussed with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq the urgency of reaching a definitive agreement to resolve the conflict and restore normality in the region. The Omani Foreign Ministry reported that both leaders agreed on the priority of solving the crisis "at its roots." Qatar has been a central actor in diplomatic mediations in the region in recent years, especially in the Gaza conflict and in the previous contacts between the United States and Iran. However, since the beginning of the war on February 28, Doha has refused to act as a direct mediator with Tehran, after having suffered attacks on key energy infrastructures by Iranian forces. The damage forced the temporary suspension of the production of liquefied natural gas (LNG), a strategic resource for the Qatari economy and for the energy security of Asia, including countries like Pakistan. Qatar shares the gigantic South Pars gas field with Iran, making both nations key players in the global LNG market alongside the United States, Australia, and Russia. The emirate is one of the largest gas suppliers to Asia, dependent on stability in the region to sustain its exports. Sharif's diplomatic round also includes a visit to Turkey, the last stop on a four-day tour aimed at strengthening coordination with international partners before, as anticipated by US President Donald Trump, negotiations with Iran resume in Islamabad this week. Throughout the week, the Emir of Qatar held a phone call with Trump to discuss the impact of the war on international maritime security and the stability of energy markets. Since the beginning of the conflict, the closure and insecurity on strategic routes have driven up the price of crude and generated concern in the main importing countries. The initial conversations between delegations from the United States and Iran, held in Islamabad after the ceasefire began on April 8, concluded without a peace agreement. Despite the temporary truce, the escalation of tensions and threats of further military actions keep the crisis unresolved.

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Both Qatar and Oman have hosted previous rounds of negotiations between Washington and Tehran, although the military offensive of recent months interrupted those efforts. The Omani Foreign Ministry's statement emphasizes the "need to reach a definitive agreement that resolves the underlying conflict."