Diplomatic efforts to end the US war on Iran continued on Saturday as Iranian negotiators held talks with Qatari mediators in Doha, but Iran's Supreme Leader ordered the armed forces to be ready to respond to any attack. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump has not decided on new strikes and would prefer a diplomatic resolution, while expressing confidence in the US military option.
The Doha talks followed more than 12 hours of discussions on Friday between Iranian and Qatari envoys in Tehran, according to a source briefed on the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity. The source said the talks were being coordinated in regular contacts with Washington.
The war was launched by Trump alongside Israel in February. Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who became Supreme Leader after his father was killed at the war's outset, issued a statement on Saturday ordering the armed forces to be prepared to respond to any attacks. Khamenei said senior commanders had reported high readiness along the Gulf coast, in and around the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman, and on Iran's northwestern and southeastern borders.
Rubio, hosting G20 foreign ministers in Atlanta, declined to set a timeframe for the Qatar talks but said direct and indirect contacts were under way. "There are multiple talks. Talks have actually never stopped," he said. Trump has held off strikes in recent weeks ahead of the US midterm elections this week, but countries in the region have anticipated he could restart attacks once voting is over.
Qatar brought a seven-day proposal to Tehran a week ago under which the US and Iran would take daily trust-building steps ahead of broader peace talks, the source said. A senior Iranian official told Reuters the proposal was not deemed satisfactory. Iran has been proposing its own seven-day plan since September, rejected by Trump, which calls for Washington to lift a blockade of Iranian ports, unfreeze assets and approve an Iranian-backed route through the Strait of Hormuz. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Al Jazeera that Iran is studying a recent letter from Vice President JD Vance to a hardline senior Iranian security official, and that the Iranian plan is the only proposal on the table to reopen the strait. Trump said he approved the letter only to discuss the possibility of allowing more medical supplies into Iran.
Khamenei said any level or type of threat "must be met with an immediate, impactful, and geographically unrestricted response." Iran has said it would respond to any new attacks by striking at US and Israeli targets in neighbouring countries.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The outcome of the Qatar talks could determine whether the US-Iran war escalates or moves toward a diplomatic resolution.
- Iran's military readiness and threat to strike US and Israeli targets raise the risk of a broader regional conflict.
- The US midterm elections this week have paused US strikes, but the post-election period may bring renewed attacks.
Background
The US war on Iran began in February, launched by President Donald Trump alongside Israel. Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei became Supreme Leader after his father was killed at the war's outset. Talks between Iranian and Qatari officials have been ongoing, with the US and Iran exchanging proposals for de-escalation.
Key Perspectives
Marco Rubio (US Secretary of State): says Trump has not decided whether to launch new strikes and prefers a diplomatic solution, but expressed confidence in the US military option.
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei (Iran's Supreme Leader): ordered the armed forces to prepare to respond to any attack, stating that any level of threat must be met with an immediate, impactful and geographically unrestricted response.
Abbas Araqchi (Iran's Foreign Minister): said Iran is studying the letter from Vice President Vance and that Iran's seven-day plan is the only proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
What to Watch
- The US midterm elections this week and whether Trump decides to resume strikes afterward.
- Progress or collapse of the Qatari-mediated talks, including Iran's response to the Vance letter.
- Whether Iran acts on its readiness order or offers a revised de-escalation plan.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 2 sources: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedDiplomatic talks and military readiness are continuing amid the Iran-US standoff.Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera: “An Iranian delegation is in Doha talking to Qatari mediators ... Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader told the military to prepare to defend the country.”
- SupportedRubio said Trump prefers diplomacy.7NEWS: “US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that President Donald Trump has not decided whether to launch new strikes against Iran, but would prefer to resolve the conflict diplomatically.”
- SupportedKhamenei ordered the armed forces to prepare to respond to any attack.7NEWS: “Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei issued a statement on Saturday ordering the armed forces to be prepared to respond to any attacks.”
- SupportedIranian negotiators held talks with Qatari mediators in Doha on Saturday.7NEWS: “Saturday’s talks in the Qatari capital followed more than 12 hours of discussions on Friday between Iranian and Qatari envoys in Tehran”
- SupportedThe Friday discussions between Iranian and Qatari envoys in Tehran lasted more than 12 hours.7NEWS: “Saturday’s talks in the Qatari capital followed more than 12 hours of discussions on Friday between Iranian and Qatari envoys in Tehran”
- SupportedTrump launched the war alongside Israel in February.7NEWS: “Trump, who launched the war alongside Israel in February, has repeatedly hinted at plans to restart strikes on Iran.”
- SupportedMojtaba Khamenei became Supreme Leader after his father was killed at the war’s outset.7NEWS: “Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since replacing his father, slain at the war’s outset”
- SupportedRubio said Trump had not decided whether to launch new strikes against Iran.7NEWS: “US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday that President Donald Trump has not decided whether to launch new strikes against Iran”
- SupportedRubio expressed confidence in the US military option.7NEWS: “But I think what the president expresses to you is incredible confidence that if we needed to do something militarily, we would have the ability to do it”
- SupportedKhamenei said any level or type of threat “must be met with an immediate, impactful, and geographically unrestricted response.”7NEWS: ““Any level or type of threat must be met with an immediate, impactful, and geographically unrestricted response,” Khamenei”
- SupportedQatar brought Tehran a seven-day proposal a week ago for daily US-Iran trust-building steps ahead of broader peace talks.7NEWS: “the Qataris brought a proposal to Tehran a week ago for a seven-day plan, under which the US and Iran would take daily steps to build trust ahead of broader peace talks”
- SupportedA senior Iranian official told Reuters the Qatari proposal was not deemed satisfactory by Tehran.7NEWS: “A senior Iranian official told Reuters on Friday that this proposal was not deemed satisfactory by Tehran.”