Qatar says reopening Strait of Hormuz ‘unconditionally’ is a priority

Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson notes "new ideas are being discussed" between Qatar and other mediators for ways to resolve the more than six-month US-Iran war.

Key points

• Al Hashmi remarked Qatar condemned "the attack of Houthis on civilian institutions in Abha, Jizan, and Najran, and Khamis Mushait".
• I had a fruitful session with my friend, HE Wang Yi, Foreign Minister of China.
• Al Hashmi remarked "the most important thing is to have political will with both parties to resolve the problem, " referring to Iran and the US.
• He continued that "Qatar and the countries of the region are quite keen for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz unconditionally because this is a top priority."
• It's not acceptable at all to have this state of no war and no peace.

"It's not acceptable at all to have this state of no war and no peace. This is not beneficial to the region, the countries of the region, and the individuals, " Ibrahim Al Hashmi, director of the media department at Qatar's Foreign Ministry, stated on Tuesday.

"Qatar is working hard with its partners, including China. Diplomatic efforts are being exerted and new ideas are being discussed, " he remarked.

Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani met Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on Tuesday, where they discussed enhancing security and stability in the region and solutions for the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

"I had a fruitful session with my friend, HE Wang Yi, Foreign Minister of China. We discussed strengthening bilateral relations to serve our mutual interests, reviewed regional and international developments, and looked forward to working together for international peace and security, " Qatar's prime minister remarked on X.

For context, the Foreign Ministry spokesperson additionally discussed the war in Yemen, where fighting between forces loyal to the Saudi Arabia-backed internationally recognised administration and Houthi rebels escalated last week, with the Houthis additionally launching attacks on Saudi territory.

Notably, the Houthi attacks have "led to the injury of so many civilians and this has led to problems with shipments in the Red Sea and is a threat to international navigation", the spokesman continued.

For now, qatar says reopening Strait of Hormuz 'unconditionally' is a priority remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.