A Qatari negotiation team arrived in Tehran on Friday in coordination with the United States as efforts intensify to secure a deal aimed at ending the war with Iran and resolving key outstanding issues, according to a source familiar with the matter.Qatar, which has previously played mediation roles in the Gaza conflict and several international disputes, had initially stepped back from involvement in the Iran war after coming under attack from Iranian missiles and drones during the recent fighting. “A Qatari negotiation team is in Tehran on Friday,” the source said, adding that the delegation travelled in coordination with Washington to help “reach a final deal that would end the war and address outstanding issues with Iran.”The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs had not commented on the matter by Friday evening. Since the conflict began, Pakistan has acted as the main mediator between the parties. However, Qatar’s renewed involvement highlights its longstanding position as a key U.S. ally in the Gulf region and an important communication channel between Washington and Tehran. Although a fragile ceasefire remains in place following the war that erupted after U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, negotiations have faced major obstacles. The U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz have further complicated talks. A senior Iranian official told Reuters on Thursday that no agreement had yet been finalized, but negotiations had narrowed the gaps between both sides. Iran’s uranium enrichment programme and control over the Strait of Hormuz remain among the biggest sticking points.U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also acknowledged signs of progress on Thursday. “There’s some good signs,” Rubio said. “I don’t want to be overly optimistic, so let’s see what happens over the next few days.” Speaking on Friday during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Sweden, Rubio emphasized that Pakistan remains the primary mediator in the talks and praised its role in the negotiations. “They’ve done an admirable job,” Rubio said, while adding that Gulf countries also have strong interests in the outcome of the conflict due to the regional impact of the war. Qatar’s renewed diplomatic efforts come despite suffering heavy attacks from Iran during the conflict. Iranian missile and drone strikes targeted civilian infrastructure as well as the country’s key liquefied natural gas facility at Ras Laffan, reportedly wiping out around 17 percent of Qatar’s LNG export capacity. Qatar had already suspended LNG production on March 2 following earlier Iranian strikes. Before the conflict, nearly 20 percent of global LNG trade passed through the Strait of Hormuz, mostly from Qatar. Iran’s effective closure of the strategic waterway has severely disrupted exports. Qatar remains one of Washington’s closest allies in the Middle East and hosts the Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military installation in the region. Post navigation Kenya Transport Strike Called Off After Government Announces Further Diesel Price Cut WHO Raises Ebola Risk Level in DR Congo to “Very High” as Outbreak Spreads