Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Tehran on Thursday for talks centred on the Strait of Hormuz, as a US naval blockade continues to squeeze Iran’s oil supplies amid a worsening domestic fuel shortage.
Al Thani’s visit followed a week of intense diplomacy involving separate meetings between Iranian officials, Oman’s top diplomat and senior Pakistani officials, all aimed at finding a path to end the West Asia war and reopen the strait. The visit comes as Washington threatens wider secondary sanctions against countries that continue trade with Iran.
Iranian state television reported that Al Thani met Araghchi but did not disclose details of their discussions. Citing Qatar’s foreign ministry, AFP reported that the two officials discussed de-escalation efforts and a proposed framework for the Strait of Hormuz that Iran and Oman have already agreed upon. The ministry said Al Thani stressed the need to respect the sovereignty of neighbouring states and freedom of navigation, and to keep pursuing dialogue. Qatar, alongside Pakistan, has played a key mediating role in efforts to ease tensions between Iran and the United States, having helped secure an April ceasefire.
Iran has held tight control over the strait since its war with the US began on February 28, while Washington has maintained a naval counter-blockade on Iranian ports. Iranian Vice President Mohammad Jafar Ghaempanah said Wednesday the blockade has stopped Tehran from importing enough petrol to cover a shortfall in domestic production. “Petrol production is insufficient, and because of the US naval blockade, we cannot import it,” he was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency.
Long queues have reportedly formed at fuel stations across Iran in recent days as the shortage deepens, adding domestic pressure on Tehran even as diplomatic efforts to reopen the strait continue.