Talks to end US-Iran war continue as military tensions rise

Iranian negotiators were in Doha on Sunday for a third consecutive day of talks with Qatari mediators aimed at pushing for a deal to end the US-Israeli war on Iran, an official ‌briefed on the discussions told Reuters.

The ongoing diplomatic efforts come amid growing concerns that the conflict could escalate once again following the November 3 US midterm elections.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that the purpose of the ongoing talks was to continue consultations with the Qatari mediators, adding Tehran is prepared for "both defense and diplomacy."

Speaking to state media, Araghchi said discussions on a "two-day proposal" were continuing, but that no final conclusion had been reached.

Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera quoted Araghchi as saying that Iranian and Qatari negotiators had developed a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days of a potential agreement with Washington.

"We are doing our best in this process, and we hope that there is rationality on the other side so that they prioritize diplomacy over other paths," Araghchi said of the talks with Qatari officials.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump struck an optimistic note on Saturday, telling reporters that negotiations with Iran to end the war were "going fine." However, he added that there were still one or two targets that needed to be "taken care of."

Besides, US media Axios reported that Trump held a call with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday over when and whether to ramp up combat operations against Iran.

Axios quoted one US and one Israeli official saying the two leaders discussed the state of negotiations with Iran, with Netanyahu pressing the president to launch strikes on Iran immediately after the US midterm elections and Trump eager to let negotiations play out.

The Israeli source described the call as "tough," while the American source said it was "direct," according to Axios.

Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, Washington's threats of military action against Iran have intensified in recent days. According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Trump was briefed on Thursday by top US military officials on options regarding Iran.

The United States has also informed several Gulf countries to prepare for a possible brief but intense military campaign against Iran after the US midterm elections, according to the WSJ.

In response to the growing military pressure, Hossein Mohebbi, spokesman for Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), said on Sunday that Iranian forces have determined a vast battlefield to inflict damage on the "enemy" and achieve complete deterrence.

Mohebbi said Iranian forces are more prepared than ever "to respond decisively to the enemy," according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

He also referred to recent instructions issued by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to senior military commanders, saying the leader's guidelines "opened a new chapter of war."

Highlighting Khamenei's emphasis that "there is no geographical limitation in the war with the United States," Mohebbi said the IRGC has placed on its agenda identifying new enemy targets and planning operations in new geographical regions.

Separately, the IRGC Navy announced on Sunday that two "violating" oil tankers, including a supertanker, suffered explosions and were stopped after hitting naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz within the preceding hours.

In a statement published on the IRGC's official news outlet Sepah News, the navy said the tankers were transiting the "unauthorized" route in the strait.

It added the supertanker "suffered a massive explosion and is burning," stressing that both vessels had turned off their navigation and identification systems.

(With input from agencies)