Iranian and Qatari negotiators hold third day of talks in Doha

Iranian negotiators spent Sunday in Doha for a third straight day of meetings with Qatari mediators. An official briefed on the discussions told Reuters that the goal is to secure a deal ending the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran.

The diplomatic efforts are taking place as Washington and Tehran watch the November 3 midterm elections. President Donald Trump has stated that the United States will not start new attacks on Iran before the vote. He described the talks as productive but left open the possibility of further military action after the election.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told state media on Sunday that the talks are ongoing and progressing. He said Tehran is ready for both defense and diplomacy. Araqchi noted that discussions are continuing on a two-day proposal, though no final conclusion has been reached yet.

Al Jazeera quoted Araqchi from a Saturday interview, where he said negotiators have developed a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days of a potential agreement with Washington. The official said the talks in Doha are being coordinated with regular contacts from Washington.

The conflict has lasted eight months and continues to disrupt global oil supplies. Iran has repeatedly threatened to strike US and Israeli targets in neighboring countries if new attacks occur. The military announced on Saturday that it is taking steps to strengthen readiness after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei ordered the armed forces to prepare for any attack.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that President Trump has not decided whether to launch new strikes. He said the president would prefer to resolve the conflict through diplomacy. Qatari mediators visited Tehran on Friday before moving the discussions to Doha on Saturday.