DOHA, Qatar — Indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran stretched into a third day in Qatar on Sunday, with Tehran offering to dramatically shorten the timeline to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz if Washington lifts economic and naval pressures.
Iranian diplomats proposed reducing the window to restore transit through the waterway from seven days to two days, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera. In exchange, Tehran is demanding that the U.S. end its naval blockade on Iranian ports, release more than $6 billion in frozen funds, issue waivers for petroleum sanctions, halt regional military actions, and formally acknowledge an Iranian-managed transit route arranged with Oman.
High Stakes Across the Persian Gulf
The push by Qatari mediators to resolve the crisis comes amid fears of broader conflict before Tuesday’s U.S. midterm elections. Gulf Arab governments remain on edge as commercial navigation suffers ongoing disruptions. Anwar Gargash, a diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates, told a regional conference that neighboring states were hoping for progress but remained “braced for the worst.”
The maritime corridor has seen persistent violence despite diplomatic contacts. A Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker bound for Pakistan was struck Friday by unidentified projectiles near the strait, despite having secured safe-passage approval from Tehran just hours before the incident, The Guardian reported. On Saturday, a liquefied petroleum gas vessel was struck by three projectiles in the Gulf, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.
Economic pressure on Iran has escalated under the American campaign dubbed Operation Economic Outcast. A U.S. Treasury report disclosed by Axios found that no crude oil had been loaded onto tankers at Iranian terminals since Aug. 25, with Iranian year-on-year inflation approaching 90 percent in September.
Threats of Escalation Shadow Negotiations
Even as mediators worked to bridge gaps, leaders on both sides issued sharp warnings. Speaking to reporters Saturday at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, President Donald Trump described the negotiations as “going fine,” though he cautioned that Iranian leaders were “not very reliable.” Trump, who launched strikes alongside Israel against Iran in late February, warned that the U.S. military could quickly hit remaining targets.
“We still have to take care of, I would say, one or two sites, but we can do that in 10 minutes,” Trump said.
In Tehran, Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei instructed armed forces commanders to prepare an immediate and “geographically unrestricted response” to any further aggression, Euronews reported via Iranian state media. Khamenei ordered military leaders to expand potential target lists to include all American and Israeli assets. Iranian military commanders subsequently broadcast footage of underground missile depots and announced that national arms production had surged sevenfold.
Diplomatic Openings Remain Fragile
Despite the hostile rhetoric, both capitals have acknowledged tentative communication channels. Mohsen Rezaei, the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, revealed he received a letter from U.S. Vice President JD Vance aimed at reviving formal talks. Rezaei told Iranian state television that Vance’s message showed a positive shift in tone, though he noted Iran had not yet formally replied.
Significant obstacles remain, however, particularly regarding Tehran’s nuclear development. While Washington insists on addressing Iran’s nuclear activities before easing sanctions, Ali Nikzad, deputy speaker of Iran’s parliament, insisted Sunday that the nation has decided against negotiating on its nuclear program under foreign pressure.
Whether the two-day reopening framework can break the diplomatic impasse remains uncertain as Washington formulates its response and regional governments brace for the possibility of renewed strikes following Tuesday’s voting in the U.S.
