November 1, 2026
By Stephen Iwuh | Dalena Reporters
Iranian negotiators were in Doha on Sunday for a third consecutive day of talks with Qatari mediators as diplomatic efforts intensify to find a way to end the eight-month-old US-Israeli war on Iran and prevent another round of military escalation.
An official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters that the discussions were being coordinated through regular contacts with Washington. The latest talks follow more than 12 hours of discussions between Iranian and Qatari officials in Tehran on Friday before the negotiations moved to the Qatari capital.
The negotiations are taking place against the backdrop of growing concern that the conflict could escalate again after the November 3 US midterm elections. President Donald Trump has said the United States will not launch new attacks on Iran before the election and has described the diplomatic contacts as productive, but he has not ruled out renewed military action afterward.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that multiple channels of communication with Tehran remain active. He said President Trump had not decided whether to launch additional strikes but preferred a diplomatic solution if one could be reached.
“There are multiple talks. Talks have actually never stopped,” Rubio said, according to Reuters.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has also indicated that consultations are continuing, although no final agreement has yet been reached. Tehran is examining proposals aimed at creating a pathway toward renewed negotiations and reopening the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
The strait has become one of the central issues in the diplomatic efforts because of its importance to global energy supplies. Iran has proposed its own seven-day plan that would involve measures including the lifting of a US blockade of Iranian ports, the unfreezing of Iranian assets and approval of an Iranian-backed shipping route through the strait. Tehran has said the waterway could then be reopened.
Qatar has also presented Iran with a separate seven-day proposal designed to build confidence between the two sides through daily reciprocal steps before broader peace negotiations. However, an Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran did not consider the Qatari proposal satisfactory.
More recent discussions have focused on a possible arrangement under which the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened within two days of a US-Iran agreement. Iran has attached several conditions to such a deal, including the lifting of recently imposed US sanctions, restoration of certain oil waivers, a reduction in the US military presence in the region and recognition of new shipping routes designated by Iran and Oman.
The diplomatic activity has increased following a letter sent by US Vice President JD Vance to Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei. Iranian officials said they were studying the letter, with Rezaei describing its tone as significantly different from previous communications from Washington.
Despite the renewed diplomatic contacts, both sides continue to issue warnings about the consequences of a military escalation.
Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei ordered the country's armed forces to remain prepared for possible attacks. Iranian officials have warned that any renewed US or Israeli strikes could trigger retaliation against American and Israeli targets across neighbouring countries.
Iran's security chief has also said Tehran is debating whether to change its longstanding policy on nuclear weapons if the conflict resumes, although no decision to do so has been announced. The issue remains one of the most sensitive elements of the confrontation between Iran and Washington.
Trump, meanwhile, has continued to send mixed signals. Although he has said negotiations are progressing, he has also warned that the United States still has Iranian targets to “take care of.” He has specifically indicated that Washington retains the capability to resume military operations if necessary.
The uncertainty is particularly significant for Gulf states, which have faced the consequences of the conflict through security risks, disruptions to shipping and threats to energy infrastructure. The United Arab Emirates said Sunday that it hoped the diplomatic process would produce a breakthrough but was preparing for the possibility of renewed fighting.
Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said another round of conflict was not in the region's interest, while acknowledging that Gulf states were “braced for the worst.”
The conflict has also disrupted global oil supplies and created wider economic concerns as uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz continues. Any prolonged closure or disruption of the waterway could have significant consequences for international energy markets because of the volume of oil and other commodities that normally pass through the region.
For now, diplomacy and military preparations are proceeding simultaneously. Tehran says it remains open to negotiations if its conditions are addressed, while Washington has indicated that a diplomatic settlement remains preferable but has kept the possibility of renewed military action on the table.
With the US midterm elections only days away, the Doha talks could become an important test of whether the two sides can narrow their differences before the conflict enters another potentially more dangerous phase. For countries across the Gulf and the wider Middle East, the outcome could determine whether the region moves toward a negotiated settlement or faces another escalation in the war.