Qatar says US-Iran mediation ongoing as Tehran denies direct talks

Qatar confirmed Tuesday that efforts to broker an agreement between the United States and Iran are "ongoing," even as Tehran denied that any direct negotiations are taking place. The statement came amid a flurry of regional diplomacy, with Pakistan separately inviting Iran's foreign minister to Islamabad in an effort to keep channels open between Washington and Tehran.

Conflicting Signals on Negotiations

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said during a briefing on Tuesday that mediation efforts were underway with all parties. "We can confirm that efforts are ongoing with all parties, we are looking into a diplomatic solution," he said, adding that the focus was on de-escalation and opening the Strait of Hormuz. He noted that no agreement to hold direct talks currently exists.timesofisrael

The statement followed contradictory claims from Washington and Tehran on Monday. President Donald Trump told reporters that talks with Iran were under way, calling it a "last chance" for Tehran to sign a deal, according to Reuters. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei pushed back the same day, saying no negotiations with the United States were taking place and no meetings were scheduled.reuters+1

Pakistan's Diplomatic Push

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar invited his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi to Islamabad "at the earliest" during a telephone conversation, according to Pakistan's Foreign Ministry. The invitation signals Islamabad's effort to maintain its role as a diplomatic bridge between Tehran and Washington.siasat+1

The outreach came two days after Trump called off planned military strikes against Iran following appeals from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. Iran's response to the Pakistani invitation was not immediately known.aljazeera+1

Pakistan's National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has also reportedly invited his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf to Islamabad.siasat

Strait of Hormuz Remains Central

The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world's oil and natural gas flowed before the conflict, remains at the heart of diplomatic efforts. Iran has been in talks with Oman on establishing new maritime passage routes through the strait, with the two countries exchanging maps outlining potential corridors, according to The New York Times.nytimes

Meanwhile, a cargo ship reported being struck by an unknown projectile early Tuesday while transiting 37 kilometers northeast of Al Khasab, Oman, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre. The incident underscored the fragility of the situation in the waterway, which has been effectively shut by Iranian attacks on shipping and a U.S. blockade on Iranian ports since the conflict began in February.siasat