Qatar's PM Blames Netanyahu; Iran Diplomacy and Turkish Maritime Moves

Qatar's PM accuses Netanyahu of blocking a Gaza deal as Iran's FM notches 24 meetings at the UN and Turkey advances a maritime annexation law.

Qatar's PM Blames Netanyahu; Iran Diplomacy and Turkish Maritime Moves — Qatar's Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government on Saturday in an interview with CNN of being the main obstacle to advancing a peace deal in the Gaza Strip.[^1] He claimed Israel controls about 70% of the Strip's territory and that only 150 aid trucks enter per day compared to a commitment of over 600.[^1] The article quotes the accusations but does not include any response from the Prime Minister's Office or any official Israeli source, leaving a one-sided picture of the diplomatic impasse.[^1] Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recorded a significant diplomatic achievement at the UN General Assembly this week, holding 24 political meetings with representatives of countries, including the foreign ministers of European powers, and meeting with Trump's envoy.[^2] This flurry of diplomacy comes as US President Donald Trump rejected an Iranian proposal for a ceasefire within seven days, telling his aides that he intends to resume strikes on Iran after the midterm elections in November.[^3] Sanctions expert Attorney Nigel Kushner said he has never seen such great pressure on Iran's banking and aviation sectors.[^2] In the Eastern Mediterranean, the Turkish parliament is advancing a law to annex approximately 462,000 square kilometers of maritime areas under the "Blue Homeland" doctrine.[^4] The Greek newspaper Ta Nea reveals a large-scale series of Turkish military exercises, dubbed "Yıldırım-2026" (Thunderbolt), and the Turkish navy sailed into the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean in the "Denizkurdu" (Sea Wolf) exercise.[^4] Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman also met with Pakistan's army chief General Asim Munir in Riyadh, signaling continued defense coordination in the region.[^5] A notable diplomatic incident unfolded in Athens: U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle said during a private dinner that the United States could replace the Greek government.[^6] Secretary of State Marco Rubio came to her defense, describing her as an "incredibly effective advocate for the president's agenda."[^