An Iranian negotiating team has arrived in the Qatari capital Doha for a third day of talks with Qatari mediators aimed at ending the Iran-U.S. war, an official familiar with the discussions said, according to Reuters.
The talks come amid concerns that the conflict could flare up again after the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 3. President Donald Trump has said Washington will not launch new attacks on Iran before the vote and has described the talks with Tehran as productive. However, he did not rule out the use of military force after the elections.
Tehran warns of retaliatory strikes
Iran has repeatedly warned that in the event of a new attack it will retaliate with strikes on American and Israeli sites in neighboring Middle Eastern countries.
The conflict has been going on for eight months and is already disrupting global oil supplies while expanding its reach in the region.
On Saturday, Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei ordered the armed forces to be ready to respond to "any enemy threat, regardless of its geographical location." Later, the Iranian army announced that it was taking the necessary steps to increase its combat readiness.
Washington leaves the possibility of military action open
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Trump had not yet decided whether to launch new strikes on Iran. According to him, the US president prefers the conflict to be resolved diplomatically.
Before the talks in Doha, Qatari mediators held meetings with Iranian officials in Tehran on Friday. The talks were subsequently moved to Doha. An official familiar with the discussions specified that the process was coordinated within the framework of regular contacts with Washington.
So far, no agreement has been announced to end the hostilities. The talks continue amid continued tension between diplomatic efforts and warnings of a new military escalation after the US elections.
Sources: bta.bg, d2233.cms.socastsrm.com