World

Iran, Qatari mediators hold third day of talks in Doha to end U.S.-Iran war

Doha, Qatar • November 1, 2026 • By Press Pass USA

Editorial illustration: diplomats in suits seen from behind walking along a Doha waterfront promenade at dusk, with the city's skyline across the bay

Editorial illustration — Press Pass USA

Iranian negotiators were in Doha on Sunday for a third consecutive day of talks with Qatari mediators aimed at pushing for a deal to end the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, an official briefed on the discussions told Reuters.

The talks come amid concerns that the conflict could escalate again after the November 3 U.S. midterm elections. 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, Reuters reported.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday that the purpose of the "ongoing and progressing" talks was to continue consultations with the Qatari mediators, adding that Tehran is prepared for "both defence and diplomacy."

Speaking to state media, Araqchi said discussions on a "two-day proposal" were continuing, but that no final conclusion had been reached. Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera quoted Araqchi as saying in an interview on Saturday that Iranian and Qatari negotiators had developed a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days of a potential agreement with Washington.

Qatari mediators were in Tehran on Friday for discussions with Iranian officials before moving the talks to Doha on Saturday, an official had told Reuters. The talks were being coordinated in regular contacts with Washington, the official added.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that Trump has not decided whether to launch new strikes against Iran, but would prefer to resolve the conflict diplomatically.

The stakes of the diplomacy run beyond the negotiating room. Iran has repeatedly said it would respond to any new attacks by striking U.S. and Israeli targets in neighboring countries, as the eight-month-old war continues to disrupt global oil supplies and spill over across the Middle East, Reuters noted. "We are doing our best in this process, and we hope that there is rationality on the other side so that they prioritise diplomacy over other paths," Araqchi said of the talks with Qatari officials.

Sources: Reuters (Nov. 1, 2026, full text verified); Al Jazeera, as quoted by Reuters (Nov. 1, 2026).