Qatar PM to visit Tehran for renewed diplomacy push

Qatar's prime minister will visit Tehran Thursday to revive diplomacy after the U.S. and Iran traded accusations over Washington's plan to intensify sanctions on Iran's trade partners. Qatar, a U.S. ally and Gulf neighbor to Iran, has acted as a back-channel mediator and helped secure a June ceasefire that has largely held, with no attacks reported for nearly a month. However, no diplomatic breakthrough exists as the war nears its sixth month. The sides remain at odds over the Strait of Hormuz, where oil flows have dropped to 5 million barrels daily from 20 million before the war. Iran seeks revenue from the waterway, while the U.S. opposes its control.