TEHRAN – Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani has expressed support for a revival of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. 

In an interview with Al Arabiya, the Qatari foreign minister said his country urges both Iran and the U.S. to return to the nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“Our relationship with the U.S. government is moving in the direction of a strategic partnership. We urge Washington and Tehran to return to the JCPOA and assist in holding the negotiations,” he said, according to ISNA.

He added, “The member states of the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) must play a role in the regional security equation with Iran, and this will not be achieved except through regional talks.”

In early May, the Qatari foreign minister said that in separate contacts with the U.S. and Iranian governments, Doha is urging both sides to take an effective approach to advancing negotiations to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.

“We have strong and strategic relations with Washington and good relations with Iran, and we do not want tensions to increase, which will have a negative impact on Qatar and the region,” Al-Thani said.

He said that there were ongoing contacts with the United States and Iran, and Qatar encourages them to participate in the negotiations effectively.

Qatar also called for a dialogue between Iran and Saudi Arabia, calling such a dialogue a constructive step toward regional stability.

“We welcome any dialogue or efforts and a positive spirit related to relations between Iran and the [Persian] Gulf, especially Saudi Arabia, and we support such efforts and believe that dialogue is a constructive step toward the stability of the region,” the chief Qatari diplomat said in an interview with Al Jazeera in early May.