Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House envoy Steve Witkoff met Saturday in Miami with Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani to advance negotiations aimed at ending the war in Iran, according to two sources familiar with the discussions.
The unscheduled gathering marks an escalation in Qatar's behind-the-scenes role as mediator. Al-Thani had just completed meetings with Vice President Vance in Washington but altered his travel plans to detour to Miami instead of returning directly to Doha. While there, he also contacted Saudi Arabia's foreign minister to brief him on the mediation effort.
The core objective centers on hammering out a one-page memorandum of understanding that would establish a framework for broader peace negotiations. As of Saturday afternoon, Washington was still waiting for Iran's response to the latest proposal.
Qatar's expanded involvement reflects growing confidence in the small Gulf state's ability to negotiate with Tehran. While Pakistan has held the official mediator role since the conflict began, U.S. officials credit Qatar with particular effectiveness in direct talks with Iranian officials.
The Miami meeting brought together an informal coalition of regional powers pushing for de-escalation. Qatar is coordinating with Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia to press both sides toward agreement, according to sources. The group has been urging the U.S. and Iran to prioritize a deal over continued hostilities.
The State Department declined to comment on the meeting when contacted.
Author James Rodriguez: "The timing and location of this sprint suggest real momentum building, even if the gap between the parties remains significant."
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