A report by the UAE news website Eram News, citing diplomatic sources familiar with the mediation efforts between Tehran and Washington, claimed that Qatar proposed establishing a direct communication channel between the Iranian delegation and US diplomats during the delegation's recent visit to Doha. However, this proposal was thwarted by opposition from Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. According to the report, Doha had intended to leverage the presence of both sides' representatives in Qatar to establish close ties and move the dialogue from indirect communication to direct negotiations. However, this opposition did not prevent indirect consultations from continuing under the mediation of Qatar and Pakistan. The diplomatic sources explicitly stated that the core of the discussions between the Iranian delegation and Qatari officials was exploring a mechanism to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the US lifting some of its blockade and easing sanctions; this agreement could have laid the foundation for initial trust-building and subsequent nuclear negotiations.
