Iran FM to visit Qatar for talks before UN assembly

TEHERAN: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was due for talks in Qatar, a key mediator in the US-Iran war, before travelling to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly, state media reported Sunday.

The minister "left Teheran on Sunday evening bound for New York... and will make a brief stop in Doha to hold consultations on the latest developments in the region," state news agency IRNA reported.

The stop in Doha comes as Iranian officials say they have once again stated through mediators Teheran's conditions for ending its blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The issue of the Hormuz strait has been central to the ongoing Middle East war that began in late February. Teheran blockaded it in response to the US-Israeli attacks.

Teheran now requires vessels to obtain its authorisation to pass through the strait, citing security and sovereignty concerns, and is considering a mechanism to impose service fees.

In response, the US has imposed its own blockade of Iranian ports as the conflict remains deadlocked.