DUBAI/DOHA — Qatar's prime minister persuaded Iran to agree to a US-proposed ceasefire with Israel after Iranian missiles targeted an American base near Doha, a source with knowledge of the talks said on Tuesday.

 

Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani spoke to the Iranians at Washington's request following Monday's unprecedented attack on Qatari soil, the source told AFP.

 

Qatar has good ties with both Iran and the United States and had been pushing, alongside other Gulf states including Oman, for a diplomatic solution to the conflict.

 

"In the aftermath of the strikes on Al Udeid [military base], President [Donal]) Trump told the Emir of Qatar Israel had signed off on an American ceasefire proposal," the source said.

 

"The US president then asked that Qatar help get Iran to agree to a deal," the source added, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

 

US Vice President JD Vance spoke to the Qatari prime minister "who persuaded Iran to agree to the proposal in a call with the Iranians," the source said.

 

Israel on Tuesday said it had agreed to the ceasefire, which is now "in effect", according to Trump.

 

Iran has yet to formally accept the truce, but its top security body said the Islamic republic's forces had "compelled" Israel to "unilaterally" cease fire.

 

Iran's attack on Al Udeid, the biggest US military facility in the Middle East, was in retaliation for US strikes on nuclear sites in Iran.

 

It did not cause any casualties.

 

'Initiated communication'

 

At a press conference on Tuesday, Sheikh Mohammed confirmed that Qatar "initiated communication" with Iran at America's prompting.

 

The prime minister described the attack as "unacceptable" but said Qatar's response would be "diplomatic and legal".

 

"The attack on the State of Qatar is an unacceptable act, especially that the State of Qatar has been making great diplomatic efforts in order to have the situation de-escalated," he said.

 

Iran's foreign minister said Tuesday the strikes were targeting Al Udeid, not Qatar, and were an act of "self-defence".

 

Qatar's foreign ministry welcomed the ceasefire, calling it a "meaningful step toward adopting dialogue and diplomacy to resolve conflicts in the region".

 

Sheikh Mohammed also urged Washington and Tehran to resume Oman-mediated talks on Iran's nuclear programme that were frozen when Israel began striking Iran.

 

He added that Qatar, a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, was working on resuming talks for a fresh ceasefire in the Gaza war.

 

"We are still continuing our efforts, and God willing, we will try to look for an opportunity during the next two days for having indirect negotiations between the two parties," he said.

 

"We hope that the Israeli side will not exploit the ceasefire with Iran to unleash what it wants to unleash on Gaza and continue its bombing of" the strip, Sheikh Mohammed added.