Qatar's premier calls for de-escalation in call with top Iranian diplomat

Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani urged support for efforts to de-escalate regional tensions during a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday.

Sheikh Mohammed reaffirmed Doha's "full" support for ongoing efforts to secure a comprehensive agreement to resolve the conflict between the US and Iran, the Qatari Foreign Ministry said through the US social media company X.

The Qatari foreign minister also emphasized the need for all parties to engage constructively with the ongoing mediation efforts to achieve lasting peace and regional stability.

"Freedom of navigation is a fundamental principle that is not open to compromise," the minister said, stressing that closing the Strait of Hormuz or "using it as a bargaining chip will only deepen the crisis and jeopardize the vital interests of the countries of the region."

He also urged all parties to respect international law and principles of good neighborly relations, and to prioritize the interests and well-being of the region's people.

Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran in February. Tehran retaliated with strikes targeting Israel, as well as US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. US President Donald Trump later extended the truce indefinitely.