Qatari mediation with 'Chinese guarantee' to end war within two weeks

Capitals – Agencies: Cross-referenced sources revealed that talks are ongoing in the Qatari capital, Doha, aimed at reaching a China-guaranteed agreement that would pave the way for resuming direct negotiations between the United States and Iran and prevent a new war between the two countries....(See page 12). The US Axios website reported yesterday that Qatari mediators held talks in Tehran on Friday that lasted more than 12 hours, in an effort to reach an understanding between Washington and Tehran ahead of the US midterm congressional elections. A diplomatic source said the Qatari mediators were in regular contact with the White House during Friday’s talks, adding that positive progress had been made and that discussions were still ongoing in an attempt to reach an agreement between the United States and Iran. According to the website, Qatar is seeking to persuade both sides to agree to reciprocal steps to be implemented within days. In an attempt to bridge differences, Qatari mediators are trying to convince Iran to allow UN inspectors to visit its nuclear facilities that were bombed, as a confidence-building measure, in exchange for the United States easing some sanctions. For its part, Al Arabiya channel reported yesterday that Iran is reviewing US proposals contained in a message from US Vice President JD Vance, amid a positive atmosphere surrounding the negotiation process and expectations of a breakthrough in the near future. The sources added that Vance’s proposals are receiving a positive response within Iran. They clarified that Tehran has formed committees to discuss the US proposals regarding its nuclear program, while an Iranian delegation is in Qatar to discuss issues requiring further clarification. Al Arabiya also revealed details of a preliminary draft of the proposed negotiation framework, which includes the possibility of Iran providing an early commitment regarding the future of its highly enriched uranium stockpile, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz within seven days. The draft also proposes the creation of an international mechanism to monitor the implementation of reciprocal commitments, with discussions on the possibility of China playing a guarantor role for any potential agreement. For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Qatar’s Al Jazeera channel yesterday that they had carefully reviewed Vance’s message and discussed it in high-level meetings. He added that the US side’s attempt to open the door to broader dialogue and understanding is a positive step. “We will decide whether negotiations will be direct or indirect after Washington agrees to our conditions.”