US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met on Saturday with Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the State Department confirmed in a statement.
According to the statement, Rubio expressed appreciation for Qatar’s partnership on a range of issues.
“The Secretary and the Foreign Minister also discussed US support for Qatar’s defense, and the importance of continued close coordination to deter threats and promote stability and security across the Middle East."
The confirmation from the State Department followed a report in Axios stating that Rubio and White House envoy Steve Witkoff met in Miami with the Qatari Prime Minister as part of the efforts to reach a deal to end the war in Iran.
According to the report, which cited two sources with knowledge of the situation, the Qataris are playing a key role in mediating between the US and Iran as the sides are negotiating over a one-page memo to end the war and establish a framework for more detailed negotiations. .
As of early afternoon on Saturday, Axios reported, the US was still awaiting Iran's latest response.
The report further stated that, while Pakistan has been the official mediator between the US and Iran since the beginning of the war, the Qataris have been working behind the scenes. The US officials said that the White House views them as especially effective in negotiations with Iran.
The sources said the meeting focused on the path to achieving a memorandum of understanding to end the war.
One of the sources said Qatar, Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey and Saudi Arabia are working in tandem to push for an agreement, adding, "The mediators are urging both parties to de-escalate and focus on getting a deal."
On Friday, Rubio said that the United States is expecting a response from Iran regarding negotiations, and warned that any Iranian attempt to control traffic through an international waterway would be “unacceptable."
US President Donald Trump later told reporters that he is still waiting for Iran's response to the US proposal to end the war.
Asked whether he thinks Iran is intentionally slow rolling the process, Trump replied, "We'll find out soon enough."
Meanwhile, Esmaeil Baghaei, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, stated that Iran's response to the US proposal to end the war is still under review, adding that Tehran will announce its position once a conclusion is reached and that it is not affected by deadlines or ultimatums.