Qatar says talks to end Iran war continue as World Bank forecasts Gulf economic contraction

Qatar's foreign ministry director, Ibrahim bin Sultan Ibrahim Al Hashmi, said on Tuesday that negotiations to end the Iran war are ongoing, with contacts and visits aimed at making progress between Washington and Tehran. He backed the Mecca defence alliance among Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, but said it was too early to discuss Qatar joining. The war, which began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The World Bank expects Gulf economies to shrink by 4.3% this year, and Middle Eastern airlines saw passenger traffic fall 14.6% in August.