Qatar has given Tehran a peace proposal to avoid a new major military conflict with Iran. But US President Donald Trump has not ruled out fresh strikes on Iran, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said a historic opportunity has come to remove the Iranian threat for good. Uncertainty remains over whether a new war will begin or a solution will be found through talks.
The Dubai-based English daily Gulf News reported on Wednesday, 28 October, that Qatari mediators delivered a draft peace proposal to Tehran last Sunday. Reuters news agency, citing an official familiar with the talks, said Iran could respond to the proposal by the end of the week.
The proposal sets out a seven-day process to restore trust between the two sides, during which both must take confidence-building steps every day. The process could begin early next week. Several countries would guarantee implementation of the deal, but they have not been named.
Trump’s warning
Asked by reporters on Wednesday whether he would order strikes on Iran after the US midterm elections, Trump said: “I can’t tell you that. But anything is possible.” He was speaking on arrival at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
Trump claimed Iran wants a deal but suggested its leaders may delay talks until after the US election. Delaying would not improve Iran’s position, he said.
“We destroyed their military power. We destroyed their financial system. They have no money. Inflation is the highest in the world, 300 percent. The government is finished. But let’s see what happens,” Trump said.
Netanyahu said Israel, together with Trump, had a rare opportunity to remove the Iranian threat “for ever”.
Israel’s election left no side with a majority, creating uncertainty over the formation of a government. With 66 percent of the votes counted, Netanyahu’s bloc could win 54 seats in the 120-seat parliament, the opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot 48 and the independent Arab parties 18. Forming a government requires 61 seats, and both sides have said they will try.
Disagreement over the Strait of Hormuz
Iran and Qatar openly disagreed on Wednesday over freedom of navigation and foreign military presence in the Strait of Hormuz. Mahmoud Maleki, head of public relations at Iran’s foreign ministry, said Qatar should show goodwill and ensure that those Tehran calls “aggressors” cannot use its territory.
Earlier, Ibrahim Sultan Al-Hashmi, Qatar’s director of media and communications, had called on Iran to respect free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that a military operation in the Persian Gulf region provoked by Israel could have a severe impact on international energy markets. He said a meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Russia had discussed the global gas market and energy security.
Araghchi called for a regional security system without foreign military presence or interference. He described the recent meeting in Tehran of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey as an important opportunity to strengthen dialogue. Lasting cooperation requires mutual trust, respect for sovereignty and practical steps, he said. “Our neighbours are our priority.”
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has issued new travel warnings for 16 countries in the Middle East, telling travellers to be prepared for cancelled flights and closed airspace if regional tension rises.
The parties are now waiting for Iran’s reply to the Qatari proposal. Whether it opens the way to talks or a new military conflict begins depends largely on the next few days.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report