New Delhi [India]: A Qatar-led delegation is visiting Tehran to stregthen its role as a mediator following the recent escalation of hostilities in the Gulf region.
According to the reports by Iranian media outlets, the visit comes after Qatar accused Iran of involvement in an alleged incident in the Strait of Hormuz, followed by US strikes on Iranian military and civilian targets.
It added that Qatari officials are holding talks with Iranian authorities to help de-escalate tensions and create conditions for wider negotiations.
The discussions are reportedly being conducted in coordination with the United States.
The fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran is under severe pressure after a fresh wave of military action and competing claims over attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz reignited tensions between the two adversaries.
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The immediate trigger for the latest escalation was a series of attacks on three merchant vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategically significant maritime routes.
According to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the vessels targeted were the Marshall Islands-flagged Al-Rakayat, the Saudi Arabia-flagged Wedian, and the Liberian-flagged Cyprus Prosperity.
Washington has directly blamed Iranian forces for the attacks, describing them as "unwarranted aggression" that endangered civilian maritime traffic and violated the principle of freedom of navigation.
US officials argue that the incidents breached the ceasefire understanding reached after the recent conflict, as both sides had agreed to avoid actions that could destabilize the region or threaten international commerce.
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On that basis, the United States launched retaliatory military operations, with CENTCOM saying American forces struck more than 80 Iranian military targets. The U.S. maintains the strikes were a proportionate response aimed at protecting international shipping and imposing costs on Iran.
Tehran, however, has rejected Washington's version of events. Iran has denied responsibility for the alleged attacks on the commercial vessels, leaving one of the central claims behind the crisis disputed.
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