Doha: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has said indirect talks between the United States and Iran held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly have made "some positive progress," expressing hope that diplomacy can ultimately resolve the conflict.

In an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, the Prime Minister said Qatar had been working for weeks to bring US-Iran diplomacy back on track after the two sides' memorandum of understanding fell short. "Yesterday, we had the indirect talks between the two parties, and I believe there were some positive progress in these talks," he said. "We have sensed that from both parties that they want to see some positive progress," he added, while stressing that details could not yet be disclosed. "In these kind of situations, normally it's better to stay away from the public eyes until it gets mature. But we are really hopeful that diplomacy can prevail at the end."

On the impact of the conflict and the US blockade, Sheikh Mohammed said the entire world was under pressure, including Iran, and that Gulf countries were also affected because restrictions on navigation were making it difficult for Qatar to move ships. He described the insecurity in the Strait of Hormuz as "unacceptable," saying the waterway had always been an international waterway and that the world needs to come together to address the issue. Qatar, he said, rejects "any blockade or any blackmailing by any country or any party."

Asked how the war could be ended, Sheikh Mohammed said an agreement remained the only viable path. "There will never be a military victory," he said, warning that further escalation would affect the global economy. On the conflict's impact on Qatar, he said the country had been "affected significantly," pointing to damage affecting Al Udeid Air Base and Qatar's LNG facilities, and stressed the importance of transparency. He said Qatar's development model would continue to focus on prosperity, partnerships, and connectivity. On defence ties with the US, he described the relationship as highly valuable and said Qatar was examining ways to strengthen the partnership.

On Gaza, Sheikh Mohammed accused Israel of failing to fulfil its commitments under the Sharm El-Sheikh agreement, saying Israel had not withdrawn as required and alleging that continued military operations and restrictions on humanitarian assistance were undermining the ceasefire. He said humanitarian assistance was supposed to reach Gaza at an average of at least 600 trucks a day, while the average had been around 150. He rejected allegations that Qatari financial assistance to Gaza had funded Hamas's military wing, calling the accusations "baseless" and saying assistance had been provided with the coordination and consent of the United Nations and Israeli authorities. On allegations surrounding "Qatar Gate," he dismissed them as "absurd," accusing successive Israeli governments of using Qatar as a scapegoat.

Join on Rehaab Online WhatsApp Group (Click here to join the group)