Qatar has urged the United States and Iran to return to negotiations after they renewed tit-for-tat attacks, AFP reports.

“We have said from day one that leaving the issue unresolved and trying to normalise the closure of the Strait would lead to escalation,” Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari tells a regular press briefing.

“This is precisely what we have witnessed over the past two days,” he said. “We urge the parties to exercise wisdom and return to the negotiating path, and we continue to intensify our efforts with our mediation partners to ensure a return to that path.”

“In Qatar, in the region, in the world today, we cannot afford to accept the status quo,” Al Ansari said. “Discussions with our mediation partners — whether in Pakistan or Oman — are ongoing.”