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Qatar Warns Closing Strait of Hormuz Will Deepen Regional Crisis
(MENAFN) Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has issued a stark warning against using one of the world's most critical waterways as a geopolitical bargaining tool, as diplomatic efforts to defuse regional tensions intensify.
During a phone call Saturday with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Sheikh Mohammed reaffirmed Doha's "full" backing for ongoing efforts to reach a comprehensive agreement resolving the standoff between Washington and Tehran, the Qatari Foreign Ministry announced via X.
The top Qatari diplomat called on all parties to engage constructively with mediation efforts, stressing that lasting peace and regional stability must take precedence over short-term leverage.
"Freedom of navigation is a fundamental principle that is not open to compromise," Sheikh Mohammed said, warning 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 further urged all sides to uphold international law, honor the principles of good neighborly relations, and place the well-being of the region's people above all else.
Tensions across the region have been running dangerously high since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran in February. Tehran responded with retaliatory strikes against Israel and US allies in the Gulf, compounded by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint through which a significant share of global oil supplies passes.
A ceasefire brokered through Pakistani mediation came into effect on April 8, though subsequent talks in Islamabad failed to yield a durable settlement. US President Donald Trump later extended the truce indefinitely, leaving the region in a fragile and unresolved standoff.
During a phone call Saturday with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Sheikh Mohammed reaffirmed Doha's "full" backing for ongoing efforts to reach a comprehensive agreement resolving the standoff between Washington and Tehran, the Qatari Foreign Ministry announced via X.
The top Qatari diplomat called on all parties to engage constructively with mediation efforts, stressing that lasting peace and regional stability must take precedence over short-term leverage.
"Freedom of navigation is a fundamental principle that is not open to compromise," Sheikh Mohammed said, warning 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 further urged all sides to uphold international law, honor the principles of good neighborly relations, and place the well-being of the region's people above all else.
Tensions across the region have been running dangerously high since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran in February. Tehran responded with retaliatory strikes against Israel and US allies in the Gulf, compounded by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint through which a significant share of global oil supplies passes.
A ceasefire brokered through Pakistani mediation came into effect on April 8, though subsequent talks in Islamabad failed to yield a durable settlement. US President Donald Trump later extended the truce indefinitely, leaving the region in a fragile and unresolved standoff.
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