Iran-Qatar Doha talks enter third day amid war fears
Iranian negotiators remained in Doha on Sunday, 1 November, for a third consecutive day of discussions with Qatari mediators aimed at reaching a deal to end the US-Israeli war on Iran, according to an official briefed on the talks who spoke to Reuters. The mediators had travelled to Tehran on Friday before the discussions moved to Doha on Saturday, and the official said the talks were being coordinated through regular contact with Washington.
The timing of the negotiations is central to their urgency. Concern has grown that the conflict could escalate again after the United States midterm elections on 3 November. President Donald Trump has said the United States will not launch new attacks on Iran before that vote and has described the talks with Tehran as productive, while not ruling out further military action afterwards. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that no decision on new strikes had been taken and that the president would prefer a diplomatic outcome.
Strait of Hormuz proposal reported
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the talks were making progress but had not yet produced a final agreement, AnewZ reported. According to Araghchi, Iranian and Qatari negotiators have developed a proposal that could allow the Strait of Hormuz to reopen within two days of an agreement with Washington. Tehran has repeatedly warned that any renewed attacks would be met by strikes against US and Israeli targets in neighbouring countries.
Why the talks matter
Iran's Supreme Leader issued a statement on Saturday ordering the armed forces to be prepared to respond to any attack, and the Iranian military later said it was taking steps to improve its readiness. The war, now in its eighth month, continues to disrupt oil supplies and spill over across the Middle East, so whether the Doha discussions produce an agreement — or break down — will shape shipping, energy prices and regional security in the days after the US vote. No deal had been announced as the third day of talks continued.
