Qatar's premier on Tuesday joined talks on the G7 sidelines in the French capital with four European top diplomats and the Saudi foreign minister hours after meeting US President Donald Trump to discuss ending Washington's war with Iran, Paris said.
"The ministers will discuss the situation in the Middle East -- with a particular focus on the Iran crisis and its security and economic repercussions -- both for the region and for the international community as a whole," the French foreign ministry said ahead of the talks.
Trump had said after meeting Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani -- a key mediator who is also Qatar's foreign minister -- that there was momentum toward ending the war with Iran, which erupted on February 28 with the killing of supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
The US leader declared that Iran "militarily, is effectively over", but kept open the possibility of new strikes.
European top diplomats attending the meeting of G7 foreign ministers in Paris have been pressing US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to avoid any new escalation against Iran and ensure shipping traffic can flow freely again through the Strait of Hormuz energy transit hub.
As well as Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the foreign ministers of European G7 members Britain, Germany, Italy and France were also taking part, the French foreign ministry said.
The talks were convened by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, Paris said.
This meeting is taking place at a time when Saudi Arabia and its oil infrastructure and airports in particular have been targeted almost daily since October by the Iran-backed Houthis who are fighting the Yemeni government.
The talks between Trump and the Qatari premier sparked hope that the chances of full-scale war resuming between Iran and the United States have receded since the defeat of Trump's Republicans in the midterm elections, with the price of Brent oil dropping below $90 a barrel.
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