The key facts

  • Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari: Iran-US talks continue, both sides are engaged in the process

Talks continue, but the situation is becoming more complicated

Talks between Iran and the US remain ongoing, and both sides continue to engage despite deepening tensions in the region. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari, who also serves as an advisor to the Qatari prime minister, said this on Tuesday, speaking at the Global Security Forum in Doha. According to him, discussions are being held with regional partners, and he expressed hope that the process will ultimately lead to an agreement, while warning that conditions on the ground are becoming increasingly difficult.

Warning of a regional war

“Escalation left unchecked means we are spiraling toward a regional war that will extend beyond the borders of our region,” al-Ansari warned. He explained that the current process follows an earlier attempt to use a ceasefire as a path to negotiations, but that attempt ultimately failed and fighting resumed. “Any ceasefire is, in essence, a door that opens the path to a goal, not the goal itself,” he said, adding that the previous ceasefire “has broken down again.”

Yemen and the escalation ladder

Touching on Yemen, al-Ansari noted that the conflict may be linked to tensions around Iran but has its own dynamics, describing recent events as part of an “escalation ladder” that began in 2023. “The only way to make sure this does not continue is to begin de-escalating all of these conflicts simultaneously,” he said. His remarks came amid an intensifying confrontation between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthis: the Riyadh-led coalition is carrying out airstrikes on Houthi positions, while the Houthis launch missile and drone attacks on the kingdom.

Criticism of Israeli statements and the situation around Gaza

Al-Ansari expressed concern over political statements coming primarily from Israel, noting that no responsible statesman should use regional instability for domestic political battles. Speaking about Gaza and the Palestinian question, he said that prospects for a political settlement are being undermined by the absence of a viable peace process. “Unfortunately, right now we do not have a partner for peace in Israel,” he said, questioning whether Israeli parties and candidates offer any path to peace with the Palestinians. “The only thing we hear from Israel right now is about war, death and destruction,” he added, warning that “war begets war, conflict begets conflict.”

Casualty figures and the role of mediation

According to figures cited in the publication, since October 2023 Israel has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians and wounded over 175,000 in the war in Gaza, while about 90% of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed. Al-Ansari also noted that successful mediation does not require the parties to trust each other — trust in the process itself matters more: “It is trust in the process, not in each other, that allows mediation to succeed.” According to the outlet, the regional escalation has coincided with continued tensions between the US and Iran following their military confrontation, while diplomatic efforts to reach an agreement remain deadlocked.