Qatari and Pakistani officials submitted a new peace proposal to Iran and the US on Tuesday in a bid to prevent further escalation in the Middle East war, sources familiar with the mediation efforts told The New Arab.
The people described the plan as a "middle-ground proposal" that partially meets both sides' demands over Iran's nuclear programme and the release of Tehran's frozen assets. It has received positive responses from both Washington and Tehran, they said.
Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir delivered the proposal to Iranian officials in Tehran on Tuesday, according to the sources, who spoke to TNA on condition of anonymity.
Neither side has shown willingness to compromise over their demands, with the US still insisting Tehran must dismantle its nuclear programme and Iran demanding the immediate release of all its assets frozen abroad.
After agreeing to a temporary ceasefire in June, the two sides were supposed to begin negotiating a comprehensive peace deal covering the nuclear programme and Iran's frozen assets.
But since that truce fell apart the following month, no further negotiations have been held. Tensions have instead ratcheted up further in recent days, with Iran increasing its attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and Trump threatening to return to war after November's midterm elections.
The sources said that the latest proposal aims to extract minor concessions from both sides in a bid to build confidence for new talks. Under the deal, Iran would agree to a secret, unannounced visit by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect its nuclear sites. In return, the US would allow Tehran to receive the interest generated on its $6 billion of frozen assets held in Qatar.
On Monday, sources familiar with the negotiations told The New Arab that a breakthrough could be announced later this week.
The sources, who also requested anonymity, said efforts were continuing to narrow the differences between the two sides and encourage them to make mutual concessions to prevent the war from resuming.
Qatar and Pakistan are pursuing joint mediation efforts aimed at ending the seven-month regional war. Both countries mediated June's memorandum of understanding that briefly brought the conflict to a halt.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Tuesday that Iranian officials would discuss the peace negotiations with Munir.
Munir's visit comes amid mounting tensions over Iran's nuclear programme, the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz and US demands for Tehran to curb its enrichment capabilities.
President Trump and other US officials have issued new threats to restart the war if Iran does not back down, while Iranian officials have said they are ready for renewed conflict. On Saturday, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that Iran would face "destruction" unless it abandoned its nuclear ambitions.
The mediation efforts also coincide with intensifying regional and international diplomatic activity, including Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s visit to Tehran on Monday.
