Iran's talks with Qatari mediators in Doha are continuing under tight media restrictions, with both sides awaiting the outcome cautiously. Reports suggest progress, but previous rounds of negotiations between Tehran and Washington have shown that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. The past week has seen an unusually intense diplomatic effort compared with previous weeks. It included Qatar's proposal, a visit to Tehran by senior security officials from the Mecca Pact countries, and a written message from US Vice President JD Vance to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. But this flurry of diplomatic activity may signal not an imminent breakthrough but growing fears of a large-scale military confrontation between the US and Israel on one side and Iran on the other. The urgent diplomatic efforts now underway aim to prevent such a conflict. The visit to Tehran by Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Friday was the most significant development. He held nearly 12 hours of intensive talks with Iranian officials while maintaining direct contact with Washington. An Iranian delegation subsequently travelled to Doha, where Iran's deputy foreign minister held lengthy discussions with Qatari officials over the past two days. Qatar remained in constant contact with the US. The Qatari initiative, which currently provides the main framework for negotiations, seeks common ground between Iranian and US concerns. Its central proposal is to implement mutual commitments in stages within a period of no more than five days. However, Iran's official news agency reported on Sunday that fundamental disagreements over the sequence of commitments and the timing of nuclear negotiations remained the main obstacle to an agreement. Tehran insists that Washington must first accept seven Iranian conditions based on the understandings reached in Islamabad. They include ending the war on all fronts, lifting the naval blockade, removing oil sanctions, releasing frozen Iranian assets and recognizing Iran's role in managing the Strait of Hormuz. Iran would reopen the strait once these conditions are met. Iran had previously proposed a seven-day timetable for implementing the conditions. But Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that the process could be completed in just two days. Tehran insists that Washington must first accept seven Iranian conditions based on the understandings reached in Islamabad. He described his deputy's talks with Qatari mediators in Doha as progressing with considerable momentum, while stressing that they had yet to produce a final agreement. Araghchi also categorically denied any direct contact with US representatives. “We see no need to meet with the Americans at this stage. Our conditions are clear, and mediators are continuing their consultations regarding them,” he stressed. Iran was reportedly preparing a response to a message from Vance, who called for direct negotiations and wanted the nuclear issue included on their agenda. But current indications suggest Tehran has decided to wait for the outcome of the Doha talks before replying. Sources close to Iran's Supreme National Security Council said on Sunday that “Tehran would probably respond if Washington accepted its seven demands. If the US response proved negative, Iran would likely leave Vance's message unanswered.” Rezaei said in a television interview on Saturday evening that he had received Vance's message but had not yet replied. He described its tone as “different” from previous US communications and viewed this as a “positive sign”. However, he stressed that Iran had made no changes to its existing negotiating framework. Tehran continues to insist that Washington must meet all seven conditions before any new phase of negotiations can begin. It has firmly rejected discussions on the nuclear issue before those demands are fulfilled. For Washington, the nuclear file remains the central issue at this initial stage. Its main concerns include the resumption of inspections and the fate of Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium, estimated at more than 400 kg. The material could theoretically provide enough fissile material for 10 nuclear bombs. Unless both sides soften their positions, the Qatari initiative risks collapsing, potentially leaving military confrontation as the next course of action for two countries already preparing for war. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said in his latest remarks that he was considering whether to order a strike on Iran. Tehran responded by raising its military alert level. Following an order issued on Saturday by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, instructing military commanders to respond immediately to any potential threat “without geographical restrictions”, Defense Minister Mehrdad Akhlaqi said on Sunday that the armed forces were strengthening their combat capabilities to comply. Army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia also warned that any new war “would not be confined to West Asia”. In a sign of preparations to strengthen operational readiness and update military target lists, Akraminia said a future conflict could last “several times longer than the previous war”. This is an edited translation of an article originally published in Arabic.
