WASHINGTON / DOHA: United States President Donald Trump held a key telephone conversation with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Friday to discuss international diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions across the Middle East. The diplomatic talk comes as the U.S. military launched fresh targeted strikes against Iranian positions, keeping the region on high alert.
Simultaneously, a deadly airstrike targeted a crowded marketplace in a major Yemeni city on Friday, killing at least 30 people, according to the health ministry operated by the country’s Houthi movement.
Here are the latest developments from the Middle East on Friday:
Qatar Floats New Proposals to Iran Over Tehran’s Nuclear Program
Iran is evaluating a new set of proposals submitted by chief mediator Qatar aimed at resolving core disputes with the United States regarding Tehran’s nuclear activities, two Middle East government officials confirmed on Friday.
The proposal raises prospects that Washington and Tehran may be inching toward indirect negotiations on the nuclear file—an element President Trump has asserted must be resolved as part of any comprehensive framework to terminate the over eight-month-old war.
However, one official cautioned that Tehran remains reluctant to initiate direct nuclear talks with the Trump administration until Washington assents to key foundational terms demanded by Iran as part of any prospective ceasefire deal. Both officials spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the diplomatic negotiations.
Trump Evaluates Diplomatic Options with Qatar’s Emir
The diplomatic exchange between President Trump and Sheikh Tamim centered on international frameworks to halt military hostilities, according to an official statement issued by the Qatari ruler’s media office. The leaders specifically evaluated Qatar’s mediation efforts designed to secure “a comprehensive agreement that ends the crisis and achieves security and stability in the region.”
Qatar has maintained an active diplomatic role, mediating between Washington and Tehran to negotiate an end to the war. Having previously faced security risks during earlier phases of the conflict, Qatar and neighboring Gulf nations remain committed to avoiding further operational escalations that could threaten regional energy infrastructure and civil safety.
During the conversation, Sheikh Tamim “stressed the importance of continuing dialogue and adopting diplomatic means to resolve disputes, sparing the region further escalation, and ensuring freedom of maritime navigation and the security of energy supplies,” the official statement concluded.
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