Qatar says US-Iran talks are still going on as Hegseth meets Netanyahu in surprise Israel visit

Qatar said on Tuesday that indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran to end their war are continuing, even as public statements from Tehran suggest the process is stuck and attacks on shipping in the Gulf go on.

Speaking at the Global Security Forum in Doha, Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said both sides were engaging. He argued that the lack of public news was a good sign, since mediation tends to work best behind closed doors. Another Qatari foreign ministry official told reporters that messages were being passed through Qatar and other regional partners, Arab News reported.

Scepticism in Tehran

The comments came a day after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dismissed the talks as meaningless, saying they had only been followed by fresh attacks, according to Arab News. Iranian officials have also said Washington must lift sanctions and stop its threats before meaningful negotiations can take place, and that Iran will not hand over its enriched uranium.

The war, launched by the United States and Israel against Iran in February, has seen a ceasefire in April and a memorandum of understanding in June, but the two sides remain at odds, especially over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Hegseth in Israel

Separately, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday during an unannounced visit, at the Uvda air base in southern Israel, Netanyahu's spokesman confirmed. The two discussed regional threats and the thousands of US troops stationed in Israel. Netanyahu's office said he remained committed to what it called the elimination of the Iranian regime.

The White House has said the US will not attack Iran before the American midterm elections. Israel holds its own general election on October 27.

Brent crude touched a five-month high above $111 a barrel on Tuesday on worries over attacks on tankers and Saudi energy sites, before easing to settle near $109, according to market reports.

Why it matters for India

India imports most of its crude oil, much of it from the Gulf, and millions of Indians live and work in the region. Any progress or breakdown in US-Iran diplomacy has a direct bearing on fuel prices, shipping costs and the safety of the Indian diaspora.