Qatari Draft Gives Iran and Washington 7 Days to Build Trust and End War
Key Facts
Iran is considering a new draft agreement presented by Qatari mediators to end the U.S.-Israeli war and is expected to respond before the end of the week, Reuters reported, citing a source familiar with the matter. The mediators delivered the proposal to Tehran on Sunday, October 25. The draft sets out a 7-day timetable to address concerns in Tehran and Washington. It includes daily confidence-building steps for each side to take. That puts Iran’s expected response at the center of the diplomatic track in the coming days.
The draft calls for the two sides’ concerns to be addressed through successive steps rather than simply announcing a broad agreement, according to details reported by Reuters. The plan includes daily confidence-building measures, with each side expected to take steps over the seven days. The published details did not specify the nature of those measures or how they would be sequenced between the parties. The timetable could begin early the following week if the parties proceed with the proposed track. Several countries could also act as guarantors of the agreement, though the published information did not identify them or define their roles.
Qatar and Pakistan led mediation efforts to end the war launched by the United States and Israel in February 2026, Reuters reported. The new draft comes within a diplomatic process that previously produced a temporary peace agreement in June. But that agreement quickly collapsed, leaving the current effort facing a recent record of failure. Qatari and Pakistani mediation is taking place as the war’s effects continue to reach trade and energy flows. The confrontation disrupted global shipping and oil supplies, and its effects extended to other parts of the Middle East.
The Qatari foreign ministry spokesman linked the success of mediation efforts to what he described as Iran showing good faith. He said Tehran must “stop threatening the Arab Gulf states and open the Strait of Hormuz to show good faith.” The statement puts the security of Gulf states and the shipping lane among the issues surrounding the diplomatic effort. The strait’s importance is heightened by the disruption to shipping and oil supplies during the war, Reuters reported. The report included no data on oil prices or market movements in response to the draft.
The efforts coincided with concerns that Israel could resume attacks on Iran, according to a source familiar with the negotiations cited by Reuters. The source said those concerns were present before the Tehran meeting, amid reciprocal warnings of a new escalation. This reflects the continuation of diplomacy alongside unresolved security risks. In earlier reporting, the Associated Press said Iran was still putting forward a proposal submitted in September to fully reopen the strait within a week if the United States met several conditions. U.S. President Donald Trump had rejected that earlier proposal, while indirect contacts between the two sides continued.
Data from Lloyd’s List Intelligence cited by the Associated Press showed 28 attacks on ships during October, the highest number since the war began. Meanwhile, oil tankers continued to cross the strait under U.S. protection, according to the report. A United Nations spokesman called for the shipping lane to be reopened and tensions reduced. He said this was needed “for the people of the region and the wider world.” The appeal highlights the maritime dimension of the crisis alongside efforts to reach a political agreement, amid the disruption to shipping and oil supplies reported by Reuters.
On the regional track, four countries agreed on Monday, October 26, to continue talks on expanding cooperation, particularly in regional peace and security, according to the Associated Press. The report did not specify the date or location of the next meeting. A photograph released by the Iranian presidency showed delegations from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey meeting Iranian officials in Tehran on the same day. This comes as Tehran awaits a response to the Qatari draft before the end of the week. If the proposed timetable begins early the following week, daily confidence-building steps and possible guarantees from several countries would form part of the announced first phase.