Iran and Qatari Mediators Seek Deal to Halt US-Israeli War in Doha
Negotiations entered their third day as officials worked on a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours of an agreement.
By Yuki Kaminski ·
Iranian negotiators held a third consecutive day of talks with Qatari mediators in Doha on Sunday, aiming to secure a deal that ends the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran. An official briefed on the discussions confirmed the presence of the Iranian delegation in the Qatari capital.
The diplomatic effort is being driven by fears that the conflict will intensify following the US midterm elections on November 3. President Donald Trump has stated that the United States will not launch new attacks on Iran before that date and described the current negotiations as productive. However, he has not excluded the possibility of further military action once the voting concludes.
A central point of the current discussions involves a specific timeline for restoring maritime trade routes. According to remarks by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, Iranian and Qatari negotiators have developed a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days of a potential agreement with Washington. Araqchi told state media that while consultations on this two-day proposal are continuing, no final conclusion has been reached.
Araqchi characterized the ongoing talks as progressing and emphasized that Tehran is prepared for both defense and diplomacy. He expressed hope that the other parties would prioritize diplomatic solutions over other paths. The talks in Doha are being coordinated through regular contacts with Washington, following initial meetings between Qatari mediators and Iranian officials in Tehran on Friday.
The eight-month-old conflict has already disrupted global oil supplies and caused spillover effects across the Middle East. Iran has repeatedly warned that it would respond to any new attacks by striking US and Israeli targets in neighboring countries. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted on Saturday that President Trump prefers to resolve the conflict diplomatically, though a final decision on new strikes has not been made.
Amid these diplomatic efforts, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei ordered the armed forces to be prepared for any attack on Saturday. The Iranian military subsequently announced steps to strengthen its readiness, signaling that the country is maintaining a defensive posture while negotiations continue in Doha.
