Officials from Gulf states are preparing for the worst-case scenario as indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran enter a third day in Doha. The talks, mediated by Qatar, aim to secure the release of more than $6bn in frozen Iranian assets, a move that could lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and restart discussions on Tehran’s nuclear program.
The urgency of the situation is heightened by the upcoming US midterm elections on Tuesday. Anwar Gargash, the United Arab Emirates envoy, stated that another round of escalation would not serve the interests of Iran or its neighbors. He emphasized that relations with Iran are essential because it is a neighbor, adding that his country is braced for the worst outcome.
Qatar’s mediation efforts continue despite recent security incidents. On Friday, unidentified missiles struck a Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker bound for Pakistan near the Strait of Hormuz. The attack occurred despite the vessel receiving direct clearance and safe-passage approval from Tehran just hours earlier.
Compressed Timeline for Sanctions and Reopening
To overcome the deep lack of trust between the two sides, Qatar has been working on a plan to compress the timeline for de-escalation. The proposed agreement would see the United States lift sanctions and Iran reopen the waterway within a significantly shortened period. According to the source, Iran has agreed to cut the timetable from seven days to just two days.
Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, expressed hope that the United States would choose diplomacy over other paths. He stated that Iran is ready for both defense and diplomacy, depending on Washington’s rationality. Araghchi clarified that there are currently no plans for direct talks with the US. He is not attending the mediation in Doha and is scheduled to travel to Turkmenistan on Monday, though other Iranian diplomats are heavily involved in the proceedings.
Araghchi told Al Jazeera that Iran had offered to open the Strait of Hormuz within two days of the US acting to lift the blockade on oil ships, stopping the blocking of Iranian assets, and ending sanctions on Iranian oil exports.
Political Pressure and Nuclear Stance
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that the United States remains open to a diplomatic solution. Meanwhile, Iran’s security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, disclosed that he had received a letter from US Vice President JD Vance seeking to revive talks. Rezaei noted a positive change in tone from the US side but said he had yet to respond.
President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that the US had knocked out much of Iran’s military but still needed to address one or two remaining targets. He maintained that negotiations to end the war, which began in February, were going fine, though he noted that the other side was not very reliable. Tehran has warned of reprisals if attacked.
Ali Nikzad, the deputy speaker of Iran’s parliament, signaled that Tehran would be unwilling to discuss its nuclear program. He stated that the Iranian nation has decided not to negotiate on the nuclear issue under any circumstances or pressure, citing repeated breaches of promises and illegal bombing of peaceful nuclear facilities by enemies.
Rezaei claimed on Iranian TV that Trump is being hounded by a war with wider international repercussions than the Vietnam War. He added that no American family has not endured the pressure caused by the conflict, as Trump must answer for starting the war against Iran wherever he goes.
Source: The Guardian
