Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, joined a meeting of G7 foreign ministers in Paris on Tuesday, hours after talks with US President Donald Trump on ending the war between the United States and Iran.
Momentum after Trump talks
Trump said there was momentum toward ending the conflict, which began on February 28 with the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. He also said Iran was effectively finished as a military force, while keeping open the possibility of further strikes.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has served as a key mediator in the crisis. He also holds the post of foreign minister.
Diplomats gather in Paris
The Paris talks were convened by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and brought together counterparts from Britain, Germany, Italy and France, alongside Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. The French foreign ministry said the ministers would discuss the situation in the Middle East, focusing on the Iran crisis and its security and economic repercussions for the region and the international community as a whole.
European diplomats have pressed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to avoid new escalation and to keep shipping flowing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Oil and political backdrop
Brent crude has fallen below $90 a barrel. Hopes for de-escalation have also been linked to the defeat of Trump’s Republicans in the midterm elections.
Related: Iran says US contacts continue after Qatar talks stall · Qatar floats draft for US-Iran steps, unaccepted so far
