Qatar says Iran should not use Hormuz to 'blackmail' Gulf

DOHA, Qatar: Iran should not use the Strait of Hormuz, which it has blocked since the start of the Middle East war, as a means to blackmail Gulf states, Qatar’s top diplomat and premier said on Tuesday.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was speaking during a press conference in Doha with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan — close allies who have emerged as key intermediaries in the Iran-US talks alongside mediator Pakistan.

“Iran should not use this strait as a weapon to pressure or to blackmail the Gulf countries,” the Qatari minister said.

Fidan also said the strait must not be “used as a weapon”, according to an Arabic translation of his Turkish comments.

Gulf countries have borne the brunt of Iran’s attacks during the war, with Tehran targeting US assets but also civilian infrastructure, airports and energy facilities.

Its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas usually passes, has also halted crucial maritime exports for the energy-rich Gulf, straining their economies.

Highlighting Qatar’s growing role in peace talks, Sheikh Mohammed said a visit he made to the United States in recent days sought to bolster mediation efforts to end the war.

“The visit focused primarily on supporting the Pakistani diplomatic efforts and ensuring a positive response to these efforts to reach a solution as quickly as possible,” he said.

Ankara has been in close contact with Qatar and other Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait, “particularly regarding the ongoing negotiations”, Fidan said.