Qatar Says Mediation Continues After Meeting Lasting Nearly 3 Hours in Tehran
Key Facts
Qatar’s prime minister reaffirmed Doha’s mediation efforts between the United States and Iran, saying important progress had been made and that he was confident a settlement could be reached. The remarks came on November 7, as US President Donald Trump said Washington was speaking with Tehran and announced new limited strikes on Iran. “We are talking to Iran, and we have been doing that,” Trump told reporters. The developments combine continued diplomatic contacts with a military escalation announced by Washington, as Qatar pushes to reduce tensions and prevent the crisis from widening. Qatar’s prime minister said the US administration remained willing to find a solution even after the midterm elections, and that its interest in reaching an agreement had not changed.
The White House has not stated its position on Qatari proposals concerning Iran’s nuclear program, according to the Associated Press, but Trump said mediators were continuing discussions with Tehran. The Qatari proposal covers confidence-building measures to be implemented over two days, paving the way for broader talks on Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium and its nuclear program. According to details reported by the agency, the first step involves lifting the US blockade of Iranian ports and releasing some frozen Iranian funds. In return, the proposal would allow International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to enter sites that were targeted by US and Israeli strikes. On the second day, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz under a temporary arrangement, before broader talks between Washington and Tehran begin.
The Associated Press said Iran was reviewing Qatar’s proposals to address differences with the United States over its nuclear program, but, according to an official cited by the agency, was not prepared to negotiate its nuclear activities before its conditions were met. Iran’s demands include ending the US blockade of its ports, lifting sanctions, releasing frozen assets, compensation for war damage and an end to hostilities in the region. The agency also reported that an official said Tehran remained unwilling to negotiate with the Trump administration over its nuclear activities unless Washington agreed to core Iranian conditions in any ceasefire agreement. Since September, Iran has put forward a 7-day plan that Trump has so far rejected. It includes lifting the blockade of its ports, releasing its assets and approving an Iran-backed route through the Strait of Hormuz. These demands underscore the breadth of issues facing mediators, from sanctions and assets to the nuclear program and maritime navigation.
Trump, meanwhile, said the US military carried out new limited strikes on Iran on Friday, targeting an air defense system. Official Iranian media reported hearing two explosions in the Suza area on Qeshm Island, but this did not establish that missiles had hit the island. The Associated Press said the announced strikes were the first since the midterm elections held on Tuesday. As mediation continues, Qatar’s emir and the US president discussed Doha’s efforts to reach a comprehensive agreement that would end the crisis and bring security and stability to the region, according to the agency, citing the Qatari royal court. The announcement of the strikes puts the diplomatic proposal to a practical test, while the White House has not commented on Qatar’s nuclear proposals.
A Qatari delegation visited Tehran earlier in the week and held an expanded meeting with its counterparts that lasted nearly 3 hours to exchange views on proposals to bridge the gap between Washington and Tehran, according to Qatar’s foreign ministry. The ministry’s spokesman said mediators were continuing to exchange proposals and both sides were reviewing the ideas put forward, but said it was too early to speak of a specific breakthrough. He added that the efforts were being conducted in full coordination with regional partners, particularly the Gulf Cooperation Council states, and that Qatari-Pakistani mediation remained a priority for Doha. Qatar’s emir stressed the continuation of dialogue and diplomatic means to avoid further escalation and ensure freedom of maritime navigation and the security of energy supplies. The Qatari proposal under consideration focuses on confidence-building measures and opening the way for broader talks, while the parties have announced neither a final agreement nor a date for those talks to begin.