Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, who also serves as foreign minister, engaged in official talks in Iran on Saturday as an attempt to “de-escalate tensions in the region,” according to Al Arabiya.
During a meeting with Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Sheikh Mohammed underscored Qatar’s unwavering support for “all efforts aimed at reducing tensions… in the region,” said the statement.
The talks came at a crucial time as President Donald Trump has been intensifying his campaign of pressure on the Islamic Republic over its crackdown campaign against protesters and attempts to revive its nuclear program.
The US has recently sanctioned Iranian security officials and financial networks, accusing them of driving a brutal crackdown on peaceful demonstrations while laundering billions in oil revenues.
Larijani is among those sanctioned, with the US accusing him of orchestrating the crackdown and urging the use of force against protesters.
The relations between Iran and Washington have seen sharp escalation after Iran’s violent suppression of anti-government protests earlier this month.
On Thursday, Reuters announced that the US Navy has deployed another warship to the Middle East, increasing Washington’s military presence in the region.
A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, emphasized on Thursday that the USS Delbert D. Black entered the Middle East within the past 48 hours.
Therefore, the number of American destroyers in the region grew to six, alongside an aircraft carrier and three littoral combat ships.
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