Qatari mediators have held more than 12 hours of talks with Iranian officials in Tehran in an effort to restart direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran and prevent a possible resumption of US-led military action against Iran, an official source familiar with the discussions told CNBC on Saturday.
The discussions took place on Friday, with the mediation effort expected to continue in Doha on Saturday, according to a report by Axios. The talks come amid warnings that US officials have urged allies to prepare for the possibility of renewed attacks on Iran after the November 3 midterm elections. President Donald Trump has not announced a final decision on whether military action will resume.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said there were no plans for direct meetings with US officials. An Iranian delegation had travelled to Qatar for discussions with mediators, he said, according to Al Jazeera. Araghchi described reports of a planned meeting with American representatives as “merely media speculation”.
The diplomatic effort follows the collapse of a preliminary agreement signed by the United States and Iran on June 17 to halt fighting that began on February 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. The agreement broke down several weeks later, leaving the two countries without a confirmed framework for renewed negotiations.
Trump said on Tuesday that the war would end “whenever I want it to”, adding that it could be brought to a close quickly but required a proper conclusion, including a clear commitment from Iran that it would never acquire a nuclear weapon.
The last confirmed US strikes on Iran took place on September 1. Trump has previously left open the possibility of renewed attacks after the midterm elections, scheduled for Tuesday. Tehran, meanwhile, has said it is preparing a military response to any further US strikes.
A statement posted on the Telegram account of Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Saturday warned that any new threat would prompt an immediate response extending beyond geographical limits.
“Any level or type of threat must be met with an immediate, impactful, and geographically unrestricted response,” the statement said.
The diplomatic activity is unfolding as reports of attacks on commercial shipping continue to raise concerns about security in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for international energy supplies.
Iran’s state broadcaster quoted an official in Hormozgan province as saying that US forces had attacked two fishing boats off Masan, near Qeshm Island, on Saturday. The report has not been independently confirmed. US Central Command had not immediately responded to a request for comment.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre reported on Friday that a crude oil tanker had been struck by an unidentified projectile while leaving the strait.
Iran also said on Friday that four tankers had struck mines in the waterway. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said three vessels caught fire after hitting mines along what it described as an “unauthorised southern route” near the Omani coast. Iran’s army reported that a fourth tanker was burning east of the strait.
Separately, Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, adding to tensions across the region.
The reports of shipping attacks and the prospect of further military action have contributed to renewed volatility in energy markets. Oil prices rose by more than 2% on Friday, with Brent crude futures settling at their highest levels since the end of April.
December Brent futures, which expired on Friday, closed $2.76 higher, a gain of 2.4%, at $117.64 a barrel after reaching $118. The more actively traded January contract rose $2.63 to $113.43.
Against this backdrop, Qatar’s mediation effort is seeking to reopen a diplomatic channel between Washington and Tehran as military threats and disruption to shipping continue to complicate prospects for a renewed ceasefire.
