Qatari mediators travelled to Tehran on Monday night to hold discussions with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi about a potential agreement with the United States. An official briefed on the meetings confirmed the visit.
The talks focus on a draft US-Iran agreement that has been under negotiation for the past eight days, the official stated.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed on Monday that indirect negotiations with Washington were underway through third-party intermediaries.
"Given the sensitivity and gravity of the current situation, consultations and deliberations are very intensive," Araghchi said in a video interview with the official IRNA news agency.
Qatar and Pakistan are playing an active mediating role in these negotiations, the Iranian foreign minister added.
US President Donald Trump signalled progress in ongoing talks with Tehran aimed at avoiding a return to armed conflict.
"A deal with Tehran could happen," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Monday, just a day before US midterm elections. He added that Iran wants a settlement as soon as possible.
Vice President JD Vance also stated separately that both he and Trump remained optimistic about securing a formal agreement.
"We have certainly made some progress," Vance told reporters on Monday, adding that officials would see if they can make some more.
Oil prices had surged after Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz energy corridor. They plunged by more than seven percent on Monday following the renewed optimism over a possible end to the eight-month-old conflict.
