Qatar PM persuaded Iran to accept ceasefire: source with knowledge of talks

DUBAI/DOHA (AFP): Qatar’s prime minister persuaded Iran to agree to a US-proposed ceasefire with Israel after Iranian missiles targeted an American base near Doha, a source with knowledge of the talks said on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani spoke to the Iranians at Washington’s request following Monday’s unprecedented attack on Qatari soil, the source told AFP.

Qatar has good ties with both Iran and Washington and had been striving, alongside Oman, another Gulf state, to find diplomatic solutions to the conflict.

“In the aftermath of the strikes on Al Udeid (military base), President (Donald) Trump told the Emir of Qatar Israel had signed off on an American ceasefire proposal,” the source said.

“The US president then asked that Qatar help get Iran to agree to a deal… Vice President JD Vance spoke to the Qatari prime minister… who persuaded Iran to agree to the proposal in a call with the Iranians,” the added, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

Israel on Tuesday said it has agreed to the ceasefire, which was announced by Trump, while Iran’s top security body boasted of compelling Israel to “unilaterally” cease fire.

Since then, both sides have accused each other of violations.

Monday’s Iranian attack on the Al Udeid base in Qatar, the biggest US military facility in the Middle East, did not cause any casualties.

It came in retaliation for US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites at the weekend.

At a press conference on Tuesday, the Qatari prime minister called the Iranian attack “unacceptable” but said Qatar’s response would be “diplomatic and legal”.

“The attack on the State of Qatar is an unacceptable act, especially that the State of Qatar has been making great diplomatic efforts in order to have the situation de-escalated,” he said.

Iran’s foreign minister said Tuesday the attack on the US airbase in Qatar was not against its Gulf neighbour but an act of “self-defence”.

“The missile operation by the Iranian Armed Forces targeting Al-Udeid base was carried out within the framework of Iran’s legitimate right to self-defence,” Araghchi said in a phone call with the Qatari PM, who is also foreign minister.

Sheikh Mohammed also urged Washington and Tehran to resume Oman-mediated talks on Iran’s nuclear programme that were put on hold when Israel began its air strikes on Iran.

He added that Qatar, a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, was working on resuming talks for a fresh ceasefire in the Gaza war.

“We are still continuing our efforts, and God willing, we will try to look for an opportunity during the next two days for having indirect negotiations between the two parties,” he said.

“We hope that the Israeli side will not exploit the ceasefire with Iran to unleash what it wants to unleash on Gaza and continue its bombing of” the strip, Sheikh Mohammed added.