Iran and Qatar hold third day of war talks as US elections near

Iranian negotiators gathered in Doha on Sunday for the third straight day of talks with Qatari mediators. The goal is to secure a deal that ends the US-Israeli war on Iran, an official briefed on the discussions confirmed. The meeting takes place just two days before the US midterm elections, a window that has heightened fears of renewed escalation.

The conflict has lasted eight months, disrupting global oil supplies and spreading across the Middle East. On Friday, Qatari mediators traveled to Tehran to meet with Iranian officials. They moved the discussions to Doha on Saturday. The talks are being coordinated through regular contacts with Washington, according to the official.

President Donald Trump has stated that the United States will not launch new attacks on Iran before the November 3 vote. He described the negotiations with Tehran as productive but did not rule out further military action afterward. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that Trump has not yet decided whether to launch new strikes, though he would prefer a diplomatic resolution.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi spoke to state media on Sunday. He said the purpose of the ongoing talks was to continue consultations with Qatari mediators. Araqchi added that Tehran is prepared for both defense and diplomacy. He noted that discussions on a two-day proposal were continuing but that no final conclusion had been reached yet.

In an interview on Al Jazeera on Saturday, Araqchi revealed that negotiators developed a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days of a potential agreement with Washington. He emphasized that Iran is doing its best in the process and hopes for rationality on the other side to prioritize diplomacy. Iran has repeatedly warned it would respond to any new attacks by striking US and Israeli targets in neighboring countries.

Tension remains high in Tehran. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei ordered the armed forces on Saturday to be prepared for any attack. The military subsequently announced steps to strengthen its readiness. The next step in the diplomatic process is unclear, but the current session in Doha continues as mediators work toward a breakthrough before the US election.