Consultations under way on Iran meeting in Turkey before November 4, Al Arabiya says

MIDDLE EAST — Consultations are under way to hold a meeting on Iran in Turkey before 4 November, Al Arabiya said in a post on Telegram on Wednesday. The post gave no further details.

The post, a single headline line, did not say who would attend, which city would host the meeting or what would be discussed. It did not name a source for the information. The post is unverified, and no government or official statement confirming the plan was available in the material reviewed.

What is unconfirmed

Turkey's role, the format of any meeting and the participants have not been stated by any official source. It is also unclear whether the meeting would be linked to the mediation efforts led by Qatar, which other outlets have described this week.

Mediation efforts

Separately, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that Tehran was discussing with mediators how to put into effect a seven-day plan to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Arab News reported.

"While our Brave Armed Forces are fully prepared to defend the Homeland, Iran continues to give diplomacy a chance to succeed," Araghchi said in a post on X. He added that Iran remained "in close and ongoing contact with intermediaries."

The US website Axios reported on Wednesday that regional mediators led by Qatar were pushing for "a diplomatic deal" to restart talks between the United States and Iran. According to Axios, which cited US, Israeli and other regional sources, the aim is to prevent a resumption of war after the US midterm elections on 3 November. The proposed meeting date of "before 4 November" falls one day after that vote.

Axios also reported that the Qataris were trying to persuade Iran to let UN inspectors visit its bombed nuclear sites in return for some sanctions relief from the United States. Arab News attributed that account to Axios. It did not independently confirm it.

Iran said a Qatari delegation visited Tehran on Sunday for talks on developments including the state of negotiations, Hormuz and energy supplies.

Background

The United States and Israel launched the war against Iran in February, according to Arab News. Since then, Iran has claimed control of the Strait of Hormuz and regularly targets vessels that try to cross without its authorisation. The United States has imposed a naval counter-blockade on Iranian ports.

In September, Iran put forward a seven-day plan and conveyed it to the United States through Qatar. Araghchi said at the time that Hormuz would reopen within seven days if "necessary conditions," including a ceasefire across the Middle East, were met. Iran has also demanded the release of its assets frozen abroad, the lifting of sanctions on its oil sector and an end to the US naval blockade.

Arab News said the remarks came as the United States and Israel were making growing threats of renewed attacks on Iran. It described diplomatic efforts as stalled, particularly since a June deal that outlined a route to a permanent settlement collapsed.

A photograph released by Qatar's Foreign Ministry showed Qatar's prime minister and foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, meeting Araghchi in Tehran on 27 August.