Qatar says the United States and Iran are both reviewing proposals put forward by mediators aimed at ending their eight-month war, with efforts to narrow the remaining gaps still under way. The update came on Tuesday from Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, which has been shuttling proposals between the two sides.
“We remain hopeful that there is still a chance for a deal to set the environment for future negotiations,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari told reporters, according to Reuters and Al Arabiya.
He said both parties remain committed to the negotiation process and that Qatar is “facilitating the real-time exchange of proposals between them.”
What Qatar said
Al-Ansari said there had been developments in talks with both sides and that the “bridging” of gaps “is ongoing”. He said intensive joint regional efforts are under way to avoid escalation, and that there is an agreement to avoid escalation in the region and the Gulf. Qatar also said its team that travelled to Tehran has since returned to Doha, while talks themselves are continuing. No draft text has been published, and neither side has confirmed what, if anything, it has accepted in writing.
The counterweight: Tehran says a deal is still far off
In the same reporting, a senior Iranian official speaking anonymously told Reuters that the United States and Iran “remain far from a deal”, despite the intensified diplomatic push. The official said Qatari mediators had travelled to Tehran on Monday night for talks on a version of a draft deal that has been under negotiation for the past eight days, and that “mediators are working hard to narrow gaps”.
“Tehran’s conditions must be met if the US wants Hormuz reopened.”
The official added that nuclear talks could only begin after Iran’s conditions are fulfilled, that Tehran would not accept Washington’s “excessive demands”, and that Iran would respond forcefully to further US strikes. That warning sits alongside the optimism in Washington. On Monday, US Vice President JD Vance said the two sides had made progress toward a negotiated settlement, with no deadline set and a verifiable commitment on Iran’s nuclear programme as Washington’s key condition (link to Vance post). The overnight US strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island, reported by the Wall Street Journal, are also covered separately (link to Qeshm post).
Why the timing matters
The diplomacy is unfolding on the day of the US midterm elections, amid fears the conflict — launched by the United States and Israel in February — could reignite once voting is over. President Donald Trump has said the United States will not launch new attacks on Iran before the vote and that talks with Tehran have been productive, though he has not ruled out further military action afterwards. Monday’s round ended without a breakthrough, Tehran said, after days of talks with Qatari mediators produced altered proposals. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said consultations through mediators are “very intensive” and that Iran has presented its conditions and proposals. Iran’s September seven-step plan remains the basis of discussion, according to its Foreign Ministry, now condensed so it could be implemented within two days — a plan Trump rejected in September. Its reported elements include ending the US blockade on Iranian ports, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a waiver on Iranian oil sales and the cancellation of new sanctions, followed by talks on other issues. Iranian sources told Reuters they still believed a new US attack was more likely than a deal; that is their assessment, not an established fact.
What is still unknown
It is not known what the current draft contains, whether either side has agreed to any of its terms, or when — or whether — direct US-Iran negotiations would resume. Until terms are published or an agreement is announced, the Qatar briefing is evidence that mediation is active and both sides are still engaging, not evidence that a deal is done.
Sources
- Express Tribune (Reuters): https://tribune.com.pk/story/2638448/us-and-iran-review-draft-proposal-to-end-war-qatar-says?amp=1
- The Jerusalem Post (Reuters): https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-913691
- GMA News Online (Reuters): https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/world/1008048/iran-says-contacts-over-ending-war-continue-after-talks-finish-with-no-breakthrough/story/
- Dawn live blog: https://www.dawn.com/live/iran-israel-war/
Frequently asked questions
Has the US reached a deal with Iran? No — Qatar says both sides are reviewing mediator proposals; a senior Iranian official says they remain far from a deal.
What is Qatar’s role? Qatar is mediating, exchanging proposals between Washington and Tehran in real time, according to its Foreign Ministry.
What does Iran say it wants? Its conditions met, including on Hormuz, before nuclear talks — and it says it will respond forcefully to further US strikes.
Why does the election matter? There are fears the conflict could escalate again after the 3 November US midterms; Trump has said there will be no new attacks before the vote.
