Iran on Wednesday dismissed Qatar’s new peace framework as “unacceptable ideas and not an offer,” a day after The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. officials told several Gulf Arab governments to prepare for a “short, intense” military campaign against Iran after next Tuesday’s midterm elections.
Qatari mediators handed Tehran the seven-day plan on Sunday. It called for daily confidence-building steps by both sides, backed by several guarantor countries, and Iran had been expected to answer by the end of the week.
Tehran says no
A senior Iranian official involved in the talks gave Reuters the “unacceptable ideas” assessment and said Iran’s refusal to show flexibility on its nuclear program had not changed, according to the Reuters report carried by Business Day. Qatar had coordinated the plan with Washington before presenting it.
The United States wants Iran’s nuclear program on the table from the first day of talks. Iran says the U.S. must first end its blockade of Iranian ports and lift sanctions on its oil exports.
What Washington is signaling
The Journal reported that Trump has not made a final decision but is leaning toward a major strike on Iranian infrastructure and nuclear sites, according to The Algemeiner and Israel Hayom. The U.S. is moving a Patriot air-defense system from Texas to Israel, restocking munitions and pulling personnel from exposed bases. Another carrier strike group and a Marine expeditionary unit are expected to join about 20 U.S. warships in the region next month.
Asked Wednesday at Joint Base Andrews whether he would strike after the midterms, Trump said, “I can’t tell you that,” then added, “But anything is possible,” Gulf News reported. At a rally at the Port of Corpus Christi on Tuesday, he told supporters, “You’ll see Iran in a couple of weeks,” and said of the war, “It’s going to end very soon.”
The White House declined to discuss “sensitive military plans that may or may not exist,” saying, “President Trump keeps all options on the table to ensure that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.”
Iran’s threats and the uranium question
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned Wednesday that new strikes would have a “devastating impact” on world markets. Iranian security officials told Reuters that Tehran has plans to attack undersea communications cables in the Gulf if strikes resume. Iran-aligned Houthi forces hit Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura refinery this week, and Brent crude rose above $115 a barrel on Wednesday.
At the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said inspectors had seen no rebuilding at damaged Iranian nuclear sites but could not verify where Iran’s material is, including a stockpile of 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%. Iran has refused inspectors access to its Isfahan enrichment plant, Fox News reported.
Skeptics point to cost and results. Reuters put U.S. spending on the war above $47 billion, and Seth Jones of the Center for Strategic and International Studies said, “I don’t think anything is going to permanently set back their program.”
The bottom line
Iran was offered a mediated path out, drafted by Qatar in coordination with Washington, and turned it down within days. Its condition for talking is that the United States first give up the blockade and sanctions that have cut off its oil sales, while it keeps more than 440 kilograms of near-weapons-grade uranium out of inspectors’ sight. A government that wanted a deal would put the nuclear file on the table first.
The administration has handled this the right way. It kept the economic pressure on, let mediators try, told allies in advance what may be coming and moved defenses into place before acting. Trump has also said he will not strike before the election, which leaves Tehran a few more days to change course.
Iran’s leaders should take the Qatari framework seriously and agree to nuclear talks from day one. If they won’t, the president is right to keep every option ready, and Congress should make sure the forces in the region have what they need.