Iran’s Foreign Minister to Return to Tehran, Await US Response via Qatar

The routing of a formal proposal through Qatari mediation rather than direct channels signals that both sides still need a deniable, indirect mechanism to test positions — a structure that has historically preceded de-escalation but also prolonged stalemate. The explicit linkage to the Strait of Hormuz matters for energy and shipping markets, since that waterway is the physical chokepoint where any diplomatic failure would first register. The open question is whether Washington treats the seven-day framing as a deadline to answer or as a starting point, and whether Qatar's role expands beyond message-carrying.