The talks took place amid uncertainty over Washington’s next move. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump had not yet decided whether to launch further strikes on Iran, although he preferred a diplomatic solution.

Trump has refrained from ordering new attacks in recent weeks as his Republican Party faces closely contested midterm elections. The vote will determine whether the party retains its narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress.

Regional diplomats fear military hostilities could resume after the elections. Iran has repeatedly warned that any new attacks would trigger retaliation against US and Israeli targets in neighbouring countries.

Saturday’s discussions in Doha followed more than 12 hours of talks between Iranian and Qatari officials in Tehran on Friday, the source told Reuters on condition of anonymity. The discussions were being coordinated through regular contact with Washington.

Iran warns of immediate response to attacks

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on Saturday instructed the country’s armed forces to remain prepared for any potential attack. The Iranian military later announced steps to strengthen its readiness.

“Any level or type of threat must be met with an immediate, impactful, and geographically unrestricted response,” Khamenei said in a statement posted on his official Telegram account.

He has not appeared in public since succeeding his father, who was killed at the beginning of the war.

Khamenei said senior military commanders had reported a high level of readiness along Iran’s Gulf coast, around the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, as well as on the country’s northwestern and southeastern borders.

Iran’s influential security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, said Tehran was considering whether to end its longstanding ban on nuclear weapons if hostilities resumed. However, he stressed that no decision had been taken.

Rezaei also said negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme could not proceed unless Washington accepted Tehran’s demands.

Speaking in Atlanta, where he was hosting foreign ministers from the G20 major economies, Rubio declined to give a timeline for the Qatar-mediated negotiations.

“There are multiple talks. Talks have actually never stopped,” he said.

Rubio added that Trump preferred a diplomatic settlement but was confident the United States had the military capability to act if necessary.

Diplomatic efforts continue despite disagreements

Trump launched the war alongside Israel in February and has repeatedly suggested that the United States could resume strikes against Iran.

Last week, he urged Israeli voters to keep Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in power, saying the two leaders could then “finish the job”.

However, Washington has also signalled a willingness to explore diplomatic options.

Earlier this week, US Vice President JD Vance, who led previous American delegations in negotiations with Iran, sent a letter to Rezaei. The New York Times and Wall Street Journal reported that the letter was an attempt to explore the possibility of restarting negotiations.

Trump later played down its significance, saying he had approved the communication only to discuss allowing more medical supplies into Iran.

In the latest Qatar-mediated discussions, Doha presented Tehran with a seven-day proposal aimed at building trust between Washington and Tehran before broader peace negotiations.

Under the proposal, both sides would take daily steps to reduce tensions. However, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Friday that Tehran did not consider the proposal satisfactory.

Iran has also been promoting its own seven-day plan since September, but Trump has rejected it so far.

The Iranian proposal calls on Washington to lift its blockade of Iranian ports, unfreeze Iranian assets and approve an Iran-backed route through the Strait of Hormuz. In return, the disputed waterway would be reopened.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Saturday that Tehran was studying Vance’s letter. He also described Iran’s proposal as the only plan currently on the table for reopening the Strait of Hormuz.