Doha talks enter a third day — Trump says negotiations are "going fine" while warning targets remain

A third day in Doha

Iranian negotiators were in Doha on Sunday for a third consecutive day of talks with Qatari mediators aimed at pushing for a deal to end the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, an official briefed on the discussions told Reuters. Qatari mediators were in Tehran on Friday for discussions with Iranian officials before moving the talks to Doha on Saturday, the official said, and the talks were being coordinated in regular contacts with Washington. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that the purpose of the "ongoing and progressing" talks was to continue consultations with the Qatari mediators, adding that Tehran is prepared for "both defence and diplomacy."

The two-day proposal — and no conclusion yet

Speaking to state media, Araghchi said discussions on a "two-day proposal" were continuing, but that no final conclusion had been reached. Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera quoted Araghchi as saying in an interview on Saturday that Iranian and Qatari negotiators had developed a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days of a potential agreement with Washington. "We are doing our best in this process, and we hope that there is rationality on the other side so that they prioritise diplomacy over other paths," Araghchi said. The proposal's details beyond the Hormuz timeline have not been confirmed by any party, and no formal agreement has been announced.

Trump's twin message

President Donald Trump said the latest negotiations with Iran were "going fine," while adding that the United States still had several Iranian targets to "take care of," Al Jazeera reported on November 1. Trump has said the United States will not launch new attacks on Iran before the November 3 midterm vote and that talks with Tehran have been productive, though he has not ruled out further military action afterwards, Reuters reported. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday that Trump has not decided whether to launch new strikes against Iran, but would prefer to resolve the conflict diplomatically. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on Saturday ordered the armed forces to be prepared for any attack, while the military later announced steps to strengthen its readiness, Reuters reported. These are stated positions and warnings, not reports of an attack ordered by either side.

Why Canadians should care

Canada feels this standoff at the pump: Brent crude closed Friday at $117.64 a barrel, and the Bank of Canada cited energy-driven inflation when it hiked to 2.50 per cent on October 28. A deal that reopens the Strait of Hormuz would ease that pressure; a breakdown followed by strikes after Tuesday would likely push it the other way. What to watch: whether the Doha talks produce an agreed framework, and what Tuesday's midterm results change in Washington's calculus.