Qatar Seeks to Mediate Amid Tensions After US Strike in Iraq

Qatar is seeking to play a mediating role amid escalating tensions following a U.S. drone strike that killed a top Iranian general in Iraq and brought the region to the brink of an all-out war involving Washington and Tehran, the Qatari foreign minister said Wednesday, The New York Times reports.

Speaking on an official visit to Baghdad, Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said Qatar was making contacts with regional and international countries in order to de-escalate tensions. His visit to Iraq comes days after Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani visited Tehran.

"Qatar, together with some friendly countries, is trying to decrease tensions. We have made international contacts for more consultations with our brotherly and sisterly countries," al-Thani said in a joint press conference with Iraq's Foreign Affairs Minister Mohammed al-Hakim. "Today we see signs of decreased tensions and we hope this will continue."

Al-Thani was scheduled to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and President Barham Saleh later Wednesday.