The Doha Connection

Several countries can claim some credit for the tentative memorandum of understanding to end the war between Iran and the United States, which officials from both countries plan to sign later this week. Pakistan had for some time led negotiations. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Oman were involved in elements of the talks. But to hear Donald Trump tell the story, the whole deal might not have materialized without the intervention of a crucial friend in the neighborhood.“Working with Qatar and the people of Qatar was really a pleasure,” Trump reflected today as he met with the Qatari emir on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Evian, France. “They were tough; they were strong. You know, they are the closest to Iran physically. So with other countries, I noticed they had to travel about 45 minutes to get there. With you, you could walk right across the border.” Not quite. A roughly 100-mile stretch of the Persian Gulf separates Qatar from Iran. The Qataris are skilled negotiators, but they do not walk on water.That water, in fact, is essential. What’s underneath it forms the basis of Qatar’s unique relationship with Iran: the single largest deposit of natural gas on the planet, which extends into each country’s territory. And the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively controlled for the past four months of war, is the sole transit point for the liquefied natural gas that fuels Qatar’s economy and has helped make its tiny population among the richest per capita in the world.Perhaps no country was better suited than Qatar to open a channel of communication between Iran and the United States. Qatar hosts the largest American military base in the Middle East, and for three decades, Washington has been its most important global ally. Before the war began, Qatari officials were in Tehran trying to broker meetings with the Trump administration to preempt the conflict. “I do have to say, you fought and you helped us and with great bravery,” Trump told the emir, Tamim bin Hamad A