Regional mediators led by Qatar are pressing to broker a diplomatic arrangement between the United States and Iran to restart negotiations and avert a major military offensive following the midterm elections. Multiple U.S., Israeli, and regional sources report that ongoing talks are focused on convincing Tehran to permit United Nations inspectors to visit bombed nuclear sites in exchange for targeted sanctions relief.
Time is running short as a renewed bombing campaign appears increasingly likely shortly after the midterms should diplomatic efforts stall. Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Eyal Zamir conferred with CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper on Monday to align preparations ahead of potential strikes. U.S. and Israeli officials anticipate that such an operation would involve a week of massive airstrikes targeting Iranian leadership, energy infrastructure, and nuclear installations.
President Trump acknowledged in an interview on Wednesday that negotiations are proceeding via intermediaries, though he expressed uncertainty regarding their ultimate outcome. Speaking on Air Force One on Tuesday, Trump discussed the situation with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House envoy Steve Witkoff, following up with his national security team during an intelligence briefing on Wednesday.
“We need to finish the job — either through a deal or another way — we will find out if negotiations can succeed,” Trump told reporters.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on social media that while the country’s armed forces stand fully prepared to defend the homeland, Tehran remains willing to give diplomacy a chance.
Diplomatic outreach is being spearheaded by Qatar with backing from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey. Qatari negotiator Ali al-Thawadi traveled to Tehran earlier in the week to discuss potential compromises with Iranian officials. According to a regional source briefed on the discussions, the mediators floated concepts designed to bridge opposing demands: Washington has insisted that Iran surrender its enriched uranium stockpile upfront, while Tehran has demanded that the U.S. first lift its naval blockade and release frozen funds.
Security officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan reinforced the urgency of the moment during a recent visit to Tehran, warning that accepting the proposals may represent the sole pathway to avoiding large-scale post-midterm attacks. Following those discussions, Saudi officials informed the White House that Iranian leadership is anxious about the prospect of a joint U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign and urged President Trump to hold off on rushing into war to allow diplomacy more breathing room.
The regional source indicated that Iranian authorities plan to seek formal approval from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei regarding the mediation proposals over the coming days. A U.S. official noted that the White House has informed mediators it will evaluate any proposed arrangement only after learning whether Tehran accepts the terms.
Central to the discussions is a proposal to revive the agreement reached last year between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency in Cairo. That September 2025 accord permitted UN inspectors to resume site visits before being suspended when the UN Security Council reimposed snapback sanctions a month later. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi briefed the UN Security Council on Tuesday, suggesting the Cairo framework could be restored to inspect nuclear facilities damaged during earlier U.S. and Israeli strikes.
Under the compromise ideas under discussion, if Iran agrees to readmit UN inspectors, it could receive waivers permitting oil sales alongside the release of frozen funds designated for purchasing food and humanitarian supplies. Proponents argue the framework offers a face-saving formula for both capitals.
“There is some movement. We are waiting for the Iranian response,” the regional source said. “The idea is that the Iranians will be able to say that they didn’t give up the enriched uranium up front, and the U.S. will be able to say that it got some nuclear concessions from Iran.”
Despite the diplomatic push, the White House maintains a hard line. A senior administration official emphasized that the U.S. holds a dominant strategic position, pointing to control over the Strait of Hormuz and an Iranian economy facing severe collapse.
“As the President stated, they have been systematically destroyed, both militarily and financially, and unless they change their ways, rapidly, we will soon finish the job,” a White House official stated, adding that the conflict will be resolved shortly by one means or another.
