Gulf states have expressed scepticism over US President Donald Trump's claims of ongoing peace talks with Iran, with Qatar notably distancing itself from any mediation role. A government spokesperson, Majed al-Ansari, said on Tuesday that Qatar was not involved in any negotiations, adding the pointed remark: 'If they exist.' This marks a significant departure from Qatar's usual position as a key mediator in Middle East conflicts.
The reluctance stems from previous failed mediation efforts. Oman led talks to halt Iran's nuclear programme, but the US attacked Iran twice during those negotiations—first in June 2024 and again in February 2025—rendering the discussions void. Since the war began, Gulf states have spent billions defending against Iranian missiles and drones, suffering economic and sovereignty damage.
Analysts say Gulf leaders are wary of being used as pawns. Bilal Saab, a former Pentagon official, noted: 'They’ve been burned by their previous experience. They previously thought they played a useful mediating role – until they realised that it was all for naught.' He added that there is 'pent-up frustration and disappointment' affecting their willingness to mediate.
The lack of clarity around the alleged talks adds to the mistrust. It remains unclear who in Iran the US is negotiating with, especially after the assassination of multiple senior Iranian figures. Iran rejected Trump's 15-point peace plan as 'extremely unreasonable' and proposed its own alternative. Meanwhile, thousands of US troops are being deployed to the Middle East, fueling fears that the talks may be a cover for further escalation or military action.
Iranian diplomatic sources echoed these concerns, with one stating: 'There’s a high degree of scepticism. As we saw, in previous negotiations we had with the US, they used it to attack and kill our leaders. Mistrust is very high.' Bader al-Saif, a professor at Kuwait University, noted that Gulf states find it hard to ignore that 'whenever the word negotiation was used by the Trump administration, it was a prelude to an attack.'
