Iran in Doha for third day of talks: two-day plan for Hormuz, Trump in no hurry for a deal

Iranian negotiators held a third straight day of talks with Qatari mediators in Doha on Sunday, seeking an agreement to end the war between the United States, Israel and Iran. According to ATSH, which cited an unnamed official via Reuters, the meetings come amid concern over a possible escalation after the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 3.

From seven days to two

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the talks are continuing and making progress, while discussion of a two-day proposal has not yet reached a conclusion. “Iran is prepared for both defense and diplomacy,” he said. According to Al Jazeera, Tehran's offer to partly reopen the Strait of Hormuz has been shortened from seven days to two after a possible agreement, and Iran is waiting for Washington's response.

President Donald Trump has said the United States will not launch new strikes on Iran before the elections and that the negotiations are “going fine,” but that he is in no hurry for a peace deal. He left open the possibility of further military action afterward: “We still have to take care of, I would say, one or two sites, but we can do that in 10 minutes.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump has not yet decided on new strikes and prefers a diplomatic solution.

Tehran on alert

Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has ordered the armed forces to be ready for any possible attack and called for “maximum deterrence.” State television on Sunday aired footage of missiles and drones taken out of underground depots. According to Al Jazeera, at least four tankers were hit on Friday and Saturday after refusing to coordinate with Iran's strait authority. The war, which began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, has been disrupting energy markets for eight months.