The Prime Minister of U.S.-ally Qatar is in Iran for talks on Thursday as part of efforts to "de-escalate tensions" between Tehran and Washington. Qatar, which has served as a back channel between the warring countries, announced Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani would visit Tehran to "discuss ways to de-escalate tensions and create the conditions conducive to dialogue." It came after the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said that another oil tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz early on Thursday, the latest in a string of sporadic attacks that have kept ships away from the vital energy corridor. A spokesperson for Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said in a post on X that the Qatari Prime Minister is due to "meet with a number of Iranian officials" during his visit. "The discussions will also address freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz & the need for it to return to the status quo prior to February 28," he said. The UKMTO said the latest attack on an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz was reported off the Omani coast, adding that the resulting fire had been extinguished, all crew members were reported safe, and an investigation was underway. Traffic through Hormuz has trended lower this week and remains far below pre-war levels, even as the U.S. has sought to help escort vessels along the Omani side of the strait. Last week, an attack on a cargo ship transiting the waterway killed a crew member. Only five ships made confirmed crossings Tuesday, down from seven the day before and a collapse from more than 130 vessels a day before the war, according to Kpler. All five crossings used the unilateral route Iran has designated for shipping, the tracking firm said. U.S. allies are skeptical that Iran's mines in the strait have been fully cleared, Bloomberg reported , casting doubt over President Donald Trump's claims that the waterway was safe for passage. The report came after Trump said Wednesday that the Hormuz waterway had been fully cleared of mines, calling it "a functioning strait." "Yes, every once in a while there will be a drone or a rocket or something shot, but it is a very functioning strait. A lot of oil is pouring out," Trump said. Iran and Oman, meanwhile, have agreed on a temporary maritime corridor intended to restore safer passage through the strait. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, however, warned that the waterway will not fully reopen until the U.S. fulfils its commitments under an interim peace deal framework signed in June, which has since lapsed. The U.S. military has maintained a naval blockade against Iranian ships in the vital chokepoint, and used the southern Omani lane to escort oil tankers in and out of the Gulf. This week saw the Trump administration launch an "economic onslaught" against Iran's financial connections around the world, upping the ante on countries and entities that maintain economic ties with Tehran. That escalation has scuttled...
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