Iran-US ceasefire collapses as Qatar scrambles to keep both sides talking
Tensions between the US and Iran have escalated as President Trump declared the ceasefire over following renewed strikes. Qatar is currently attempting to mediate between the two nations to prevent a return to full-scale regional war.
Why it matters
The collapse of the ceasefire threatens regional stability in the Middle East and global energy security due to the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday he had agreed to further negotiations with Iran, even as he repeated his assertion that the ceasefire between the decades-old foes was over.
While there have been no direct talks between Iran and the United States since last month, Iranian media reported that a delegation from mediator Qatar was in Tehran on Friday after the warring sides exchanged strikes again this week.
It is just over three weeks since Washington and Tehran signed an agreement aimed at turning a months-long ceasefire into a durable peace, but the trading of fire for a second day in a row on Thursday threatened a return to full-scale regional war.
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