Qatar mediates between Washington and Tehran as Gulf states brace for potential U.S. strikes
Brent crude prices have surged 60% since the conflict began eight months ago, prompting intense diplomatic efforts to halt further attacks before Tuesday's midterms.
By Hassan Okoye ·
Qatar has led a 72-hour mediation push to prevent the United States and Israel from launching new strikes on Iran.
The diplomatic efforts involve Qatari mediators traveling to Tehran and an Iranian delegation visiting Doha. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told state media on October 31 that no definitive conclusion had been reached, though discussions are underway regarding a two-day plan. Under this proposal, Iran would refrain from attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz to allow direct talks between Washington and Tehran to resume.
President Donald Trump addressed the possibility of restarting the war from a Halloween party at Mar-a-Lago. He stated, "We are not in that much of a hurry." Trump claimed that U.S. forces have destroyed almost all of Iran's military equipment, manufacturing capabilities, and nuclear sites, adding that remaining targets could be handled in 10 minutes. He did not specify a timeline for action following the U.S. midterm elections on Tuesday.
The conflict began eight months ago with U.S. and Israeli strikes that killed Iran's supreme leader and top military commanders. Despite these losses and crippling economic sanctions, the war has not toppled the Iranian regime. The country's Revolutionary Guard remains capable of threatening Gulf Arab nations, which are major global producers of oil and gas.
Brent crude oil prices are currently 60% higher than before the war began. In Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, visible damage remains from the first day of the conflict on February 28. Iran struck the 5th Fleet's logistics hub, leaving radar equipment damaged and warehouses charred. The base previously housed 8,000 military personnel but now holds fewer than 100.
Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani spoke at the Manama Dialogue security forum, noting that Iran's Revolutionary Guard has threatened to hit undersea internet cables in the Strait of Hormuz if war resumes. He described the strategy as using a shared artery as a tool of pressure. UAE diplomat Anwar Gargash stated at the same summit that political tools should be the primary means of resolving the crisis, arguing that military solutions would complicate the situation without providing a quick exit.
Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, ordered senior commanders to meet any threat with an immediate response without geographical limitations. This directive follows Iran's strikes on Amazon data centers in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain earlier in the conflict. Saudi Arabia is also currently defending its airports and oil facilities against attacks by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.
Source: WEVO
