Iranian negotiators hold third day of talks in Doha to end US-Iran war

Iranian negotiators and Qatari mediators conducted a third day of talks in Doha on November 1, 2026, aimed at halting the US-Israeli war on Iran. Discussions center on a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days, provided Washington lifts sanctions, reinstates oil waivers, and halts strikes across the region. Despite diplomatic outreach via a letter from US Vice President JD Vance, US President Donald Trump and Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei maintain sharp military readiness ahead of the November 3 US midterm elections.

Progress in Doha diplomatic talks

• ▪Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated on November 1, 2026, that discussions on Iran's two-day proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz with Qatari mediators were ongoing and progressing, though no final agreement had been reached
• ▪Qatari mediators held more than 12 hours of consultations in Tehran on October 30, 2026, before relocating the discussions with Iranian officials to Doha on October 31, 2026
• ▪Iranian negotiators held a third consecutive day of talks with Qatari mediators to discuss ending the US-Israeli war on Iran

Terms of the proposed agreement

• ▪Iran's conditions for restarting broader peace talks require an end to the US-Israeli war on Iran on all fronts, including Israeli military attacks on Lebanon
• ▪Qatari mediators brought a proposal to Tehran offering a seven-day plan for incremental trust-building steps between the United States and Iran, which Iranian officials deemed unsatisfactory

US stance on military action

• ▪US Vice President JD Vance sent a letter to Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei seeking to gauge prospects for restarting negotiations to avert military escalation
• ▪US President Donald Trump has held off on military strikes against Iran prior to the November 3, 2026 US midterm elections, while not ruling out post-election military action

Iranian military warnings and nuclear posture

• ▪Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei ordered the armed forces on October 31, 2026, to prepare for an immediate and geographically unrestricted response to any US or Israeli attack
• ▪Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei stated that Iran is weighing a potential change to its nuclear doctrine, which currently prohibits nuclear weapons, if hostilities escalate