Qatar calls US-Iran hotline key safeguard against Strait of Hormuz clash

Qatar, which brokered the ceasefire negotiations between the United States and Iran, has underscored the importance of the direct communications hotline the two countries agreed to establish, saying it will serve as a critical mechanism to prevent misunderstandings and accidental clashes in the Strait of Hormuz.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told the Financial Times on Tuesday that the hotline recently agreed upon by Washington and Tehran would play a vital role in preventing a renewed escalation of tensions between the two sides.

Al Thani also warned of forces seeking to derail the agreement. "In every conflict, there are parties that do not want a deal," he said. "There may be attempts to obstruct progress in the negotiations."

He said that while some hardliners in Iran had recently called for the Strait of Hormuz to be closed again, citing clashes between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, the situation on the ground had not reflected those demands.

"Mediating countries confirmed with Iranian authorities that no order to close the strait had been issued," he said, adding that the Strait of Hormuz remains open.

Al Thani also said Qatar's liquefied natural gas production — the world's second largest by exports — would return to normal levels within weeks. He added that Qatar was ready to restore full operations as soon as conditions in the strait normalized, despite damage to some production facilities.

Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City, the world's largest LNG hub, sustained partial damage in the early stages of the war. More recently, an internal explosion and fire broke out while the complex was being prepared for restart, killing more than 10 people.

Al Thani said the fallout from the war would be difficult to resolve quickly, warning that shortages of petrochemical products and helium would persist for months to come.

He added that the full impact of the Strait of Hormuz closure would begin to be felt in earnest from September or October.

"Rebuilding trust takes time," Al Thani said. "Normalization cannot happen overnight — it will require considerable effort."