'Crisis cannot be left unresolved': Qatar PM says mediation efforts continue

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, has said that efforts at mediation between Iran and the United States remain active to prevent escalation, warning that the crisis "cannot be left unresolved". During a public interview at Oxford University on Friday, Al Thani said that “for the past couple of weeks, we have worked with colleagues in the US administration who have very genuine intentions to find a way to contain the situation and de-escalate it". He said that mediation efforts continue “to prevent the situation from spiralling out of control,” adding that “thanks also to some wise voices in Tehran, we have prevented that from getting out of control.” He said that even after the US midterm election, the "intentions are still there, the willingness to take steps toward finding a solution is still there and we are building and capitalising on this". The Prime Minister stressed that "our engagement did not stop and will not stop", although the current pace of diplomatic exchanges may not "be as active as it was a few days ago”. Qatar earlier dismissed reports claiming negotiations between the US and Iran have failed, warning that such claims benefit “only those seeking to prolong the war”. Al Thani said mediation efforts continue to prevent a major escalation. (AFP)