Hagerty and Rubio support military option against Iran and reject betting on negotiations

The US website Axios reported that Qatari mediators held intensive talks in Tehran, lasting more than 12 hours on Friday, as part of efforts to reach an agreement paving the way for the resumption of direct negotiations between the United States and Iran, and to prevent a renewed military confrontation, particularly following the US midterm elections.

The website clarified that the talks are scheduled to continue on Saturday in the Qatari capital, Doha, noting that Qatari mediators remained in continuous contact with the White House throughout Friday’s session.

Axios quoted a diplomatic source as saying the talks had made “positive progress” and were still ongoing in an attempt to reach an understanding between the two sides.

In this context, Qatar urged the United States and Iran to agree on a series of reciprocal steps that could be implemented within days, with the aim of bringing both parties back to the negotiating table regarding Iran’s nuclear program and other files.

The website quoted a US official as saying the talks face two main obstacles: the administration of President Donald Trump insists that Iran make concessions on the nuclear file before negotiations resume, while Tehran demands the lifting of the US naval blockade first, the release of its frozen funds, and permission to resume oil sales.

According to the report, Qatari mediators are working to persuade Iran to allow UN inspectors to visit nuclear sites that were bombed, a move aimed at building confidence, in exchange for the US easing some sanctions imposed on Tehran.

Axios revealed differences of opinion within Trump’s inner circle on how to deal with Iran; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio express significant skepticism about the possibility of reaching a nuclear deal with the current Iranian regime and support further military strikes.

In contrast, Vice President JD Vance and Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are pushing for the resumption of negotiations, while the US president remains skeptical about Iran’s willingness to agree to a deal he would find acceptable.

For his part, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is urging that the talks be given a chance to yield results, rather than rushing to resume military operations.

In a related development, the website quoted a regional source as saying that countries in the region, including Egypt, Turkey, Iraq, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, are urging Iran to agree to resume negotiations before the US midterm elections.

A US official indicated that Trump might be more inclined to order a large-scale military operation if Republicans suffer a major defeat in the elections. The website quoted the official as saying that Trump might resort to a “bold move” if he feels embarrassed or marginalized, adding that this message is being conveyed to the Iranian side, as the best opportunity to reach an agreement currently exists.

Axios had previously reported that the Qatari negotiation team returned from Tehran to Doha aboard the same flight as an Iranian delegation, following a day of talks on a potential agreement with the United States, confirming that negotiations would resume on Saturday.

This visit comes less than two weeks after a similar Qatari trip to Tehran, during which mediators presented a new draft agreement aimed at ending the US war on Iran, amid intense diplomatic efforts to prevent a renewed conflict.

A source familiar with the negotiations had previously told Reuters on Wednesday that the draft presented to Iran last Sunday includes a seven-day timeline to address the concerns of both sides, requiring them to take daily steps to build confidence.

For its part, a senior Iranian official told Reuters that Qatar’s submission amounted to ideas about an agreement rather than a formal proposal directed at Tehran, deeming it “unacceptable” and affirming that Iran would show no flexibility on the nuclear file, without providing further details.