In the last two weeks, Qatar has emerged as a central player in negotiations between the US and Iran, Channel 12’s Barak Ravid says, citing American officials and regional sources.
According to the report, US President Donald Trump pressured the Qatari emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to help broker negotiations with Tehran.
Doha was reluctant to get involved, but eventually acceded after weeks of pressure, Ravid adds.
Pakistan is still the primary mediator in the talks, Ravid says, adding that Qatar is not “going behind the back” of Islamabad, but is instead joining the regional effort to reach a long-term deal between the US and Iran.
Yesterday, the Qatari prime minister met with US Vice President JD Vance in Washington for talks on the US-Iran negotiations.
Qatar, whose leadership is seen as close to Trump, has been a central mediator in negotiating several ceasefires in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, including the current fragile truce, which has held since last October.
Your next read: ToI Editors' Picks
LIMITED TIME OFFER: Join The Times of Israel Community today and you'll receive a physical book of your choice, carefully curated by our editors.
Choose between two must-reads: When We See You Again by Rachel Goldberg-Polin, a searing portrait of a mother’s grief and strength following unthinkable tragedy;
Or Out of the Sky: Heroism and Rebirth in Nazi Europe by Matti Friedman, the gripping and surprising tale of a forgotten moment during World War II.
As a Community member, you’ll also enjoy our DocuNation series of outstanding Israeli documentary films, an ad-free experience of our site and podcasts, commenting privileges, and more.
CHOOSE YOUR BOOK
CHOOSE YOUR BOOK
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
From the Liveblog of
Saturday, May 9, 2026
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
