Morning update

Good morning Middle East Eye readers,

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a meeting with Qatari mediators in Doha on Tuesday. They received feedback from the US regarding a proposed seven-day plan aimed at building trust and returning to a modified version of the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding signed in June, according to a Reuters official. Araghchi will discuss Washington's response with Iran's leadership on Wednesday.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the US and Israel of seeking to create and deepen internal divisions in Iran, as reported by state media. He stated that after failing to force the Iranian people to surrender through military force, their enemies are now focusing on intensifying internal divisions. Pezeshkian made this claim during a meeting with Iranian mayors from across the country.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of fueling security concerns, stating that enemies might attack Israel before the October 27 elections. Lapid reportedly sought an urgent security briefing after Netanyahu mentioned indications that enemies could attempt an attack on Israel prior to the elections.

Iran's foreign ministry criticized Israel's presence in the region on Tuesday, calling it a "dangerous situation" amid ongoing Israeli attacks on Iran, Lebanon, and Palestine. This came after Netanyahu's visit to the UAE was confirmed. The ministry denounced the visit as occurring at a sensitive time, with Israeli attacks underway.

Qatar's prime minister accused Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu of being a "war criminal" and emphasized that Doha would continue its mediation efforts despite rising tensions in the region. Hospitals and schools have been targeted in the conflict, with no justifications for these actions, according to the prime minister's remarks.

A senior Saudi official denied reports of a meeting between Saudi Arabia and Israeli officials on Wednesday. Netanyahu visited Abu Dhabi on Sunday, meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Reports indicate that representatives from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Libya, Qatar, and Morocco were also present at the meeting.