Qatar said on Tuesday that ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran need more time, as regional leaders continue to push for diplomacy and seek to prevent a wider escalation in the Middle East.
Speaking at a press conference, Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said Doha supports Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to bring the two sides closer to a possible agreement.
“We are supportive of the diplomatic effort by Pakistan that has shown seriousness in bringing parties together and finding a solution, and we do believe it needs more time,” Al Ansari said.
His comments came a day after US President Donald Trump said he had delayed planned military action in order to give negotiations another chance. Trump said he had prepared a new attack after Iran rejected the outlines of a proposed deal, but later suspended the move following appeals from the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
According to Trump, the regional leaders urged him to allow more time for diplomacy before taking further military action. Qatar has positioned itself as one of the key regional voices calling for de-escalation. Al Ansari said the priority is to protect people across the region from becoming the main victims of any further conflict.
“We want to protect the people of the region from being basically the main losers of any escalation in the region,” he said.
However, the Qatari spokesman did not say whether Doha was optimistic about the chances of reaching a deal. He also declined to comment further on Trump’s social media post about postponing the planned attack.
The latest comments underline the continuing diplomatic pressure surrounding US-Iran tensions, as Gulf states attempt to avoid a wider regional confrontation while supporting efforts to keep negotiations alive.