Iranian negotiators have left talks with Qatari mediators aimed at ending the war with the United States, with a draft proposal now circulating and a follow-up meeting possible, an official briefed on the talks said on Monday.
The negotiators departed on Sunday, though not because of difficulties in the negotiations, according to the official, who gave no further details of the draft proposal. The departure marks a new phase in the Qatari-mediated effort to end a conflict that has gripped oil markets and raised fears of a wider regional war.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, said the basis of the talks is a seven-step plan drawn up by Tehran in September to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the United States naval blockade on Iran. Tehran is now suggesting that plan could be implemented on a faster timeline under a deal.
Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi had been in Doha to facilitate the exchange of messages with Washington through Qatari intermediaries, Baghaei said. He set out Tehran’s conditions in blunt terms: no final agreement can be reached, nor can the Strait be reopened or secured, unless the US naval blockade is ended and Iran’s demands are respected.
On Saturday, Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera quoted Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi as saying that under a deal the Strait of Hormuz could be opened within two days rather than the seven days originally envisaged. Iran’s initial proposal was rejected by US President Donald Trump.
The diplomacy comes amid concern that the conflict could escalate again after Tuesday’s midterm elections in the United States. Trump has said the US would not launch new attacks on Iran before the vote and that discussions with Tehran have been productive, though he has not ruled out further military action afterwards. Asked about Tehran’s view of the midterms, Baghaei said Iran did not expect the elections to “give birth to a new US”.
Note: the claim that negotiators have left Doha and that a draft proposal is circulating rests on a single official briefed on the talks, speaking to Reuters; the contents of the draft have not been disclosed.
Note: the featured image is a file photo of the Doha skyline, not a photograph of the talks.
Sources: Reuters, “Iranians have left Doha talks, draft proposal for US deal being circulated, official says”, 2 November 2026, https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iranians-have-left-doha-talks-draft-proposal-us-deal-being-circulated-official-2026-11-02/
