Top Shot – A woman walks in front of a mural depicting the Iranian flag in Tehran on October 26, 2026. Iran’s economy has been battered by years of sanctions, but the conflict that began in February with attacks by the United States and Israel and a U.S. blockade of the country’s ports has placed further strain on daily life. (Photo by ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)
Atta Kenare | AFP | Getty Images
Iranian negotiators were in Doha on Sunday for a third day of talks with a Qatari mediator aimed at facilitating a deal to end the US and Israeli war on Iran, officials briefed on the talks told Reuters.
The talks came amid concerns that the conflict could flare up again after the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 3. President Donald Trump said the United States had no intention of launching a new attack against Iran before the vote and that talks with Tehran had been productive, but he did not rule out further military action afterwards.
As the eight-month war continues to disrupt global oil supplies and spill over across the Middle East, Iran has repeatedly said it will respond to new attacks by attacking U.S. and Israeli targets in neighboring countries.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued a statement on Saturday, ordering the military to be ready to respond to any attack. The Iranian military later announced that it was taking steps to increase its readiness.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that President Trump has not decided whether to launch a new attack against Iran but wants to resolve the conflict diplomatically.
Qatari mediators traveled to Tehran on Friday to hold talks with Iranian officials, before moving talks to Doha on Saturday, officials told Reuters. The official added that the talks are being arranged in regular contact with Washington.
