Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Majed al-Ansari stated Monday that U.S. sanctions would not resolve the ongoing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing that the broader regional crisis is rooted in the conflict that Israel is engaged in Gaza. Speaking to CNN, Ansari argued that the dispute can only be settled through negotiations, rather than economic pressure.

“Sanctions have been a staple of diplomacy in the Middle East for a long time, but they have not delivered the expected outcomes,” Ansari said. He noted that sanctions primarily affect a country’s economy, population, and governance capacity, but do not address core issues. "This issue will only be resolved through a deal, at the negotiation table," he added, underscoring the need for a diplomatic agreement to prevent further damage to both the regional population and the international economy.

Qatar, along with other Gulf states, has experienced attacks by Iran following strikes on the Islamic Republic by Israel and the United States in late February. Despite these attacks involving Iranian drones and missiles targeting critical infrastructure, Ansari attributed the escalation to Israel’s military campaign against Hamas in Gaza. He described the Gaza conflict as “the nucleus” of recent developments, including those in the Strait of Hormuz, and stressed the importance of addressing the Palestinian issue comprehensively alongside other regional concerns.

Ansari called for avoiding normalization of the strait’s closure, warning that similar tactics could be used to disrupt other strategic waterways with potentially worse consequences. He lamented the severe economic fallout from the strait’s instability, highlighting its impact on global inflation, energy security, and food supplies.

Dr. Ariel Admoni, a researcher at Ariel University and the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, said Ansari’s framing of the crisis aligns with Qatar’s typical narrative, which links Gulf tensions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Admoni suggested that Qatar’s approach positions the country as a key player in seeking a regional peace, though one that might require security concessions from Israel and Western nations.

Admoni also noted that Ansari’s relatively conciliatory attitude toward Iran may reflect Qatar’s economic interests, including recent liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments to India and Japan. Unusual ship-to-ship LNG transfers near the Strait of Hormuz have raised speculation about coordinated efforts involving Qatar, Iran, and potentially the United States to maintain energy flows amid geopolitical tensions.

Ansari expressed skepticism about an imminent resolution, describing the current impasse between Washington and Tehran as a situation that might be gradually eased rather than quickly overturned. Admoni observed that Qatar’s statements come amid European concerns over energy supplies for the winter, underlining the strategic leverage Qatari gas exports hold in the current geopolitical landscape.

While Ansari emphasized the urgency of resolving maritime security issues to prevent further economic crises, former Wilson Center fellow Thomas O’Donnell recently argued that the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz is diminishing as new infrastructure bypasses the waterway. Meanwhile, Admoni noted a decline in Gulf Cooperation Council states’ unified response to Iran and signaled that recent Iranian attacks have weakened the regional coalition’s stance.