Iran rejects 'unacceptable' proposal by Qatar to end war with US

Qatari mediators delivered a new draft agreement to Iran on Sunday, aimed at halting the conflict with the United States and Israel, according to an official briefed on the negotiations. The Iranian government is anticipated to respond to the draft by the end of the week. The proposed timeline outlined in the deal provides a seven-day period for both Iran and Washington to address their respective concerns through a series of daily confidence-building measures, as stated by the official.

The timeline might commence at the beginning of the next week, and several nations would serve as guarantors of the agreement, the official added. Qatar, together with Pakistan, has been leading the mediation efforts to conclude the war initiated by the US and Israel in February. This conflict has disrupted global shipping and oil supplies, and has spilled over to other regions of the Middle East.

There were apprehensions prior to Sunday's meeting in Tehran that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, running for re-election in a general election, might resume attacks on Iran during the week. On Friday, US President Donald Trump reiterated threats to target Iran further, while Iranian security officials conveyed to Reuters that Tehran had prepared detailed plans to strike undersea cables in the Gulf if the US and Israel resumed attacks.

Earlier mediation attempts had resulted in an interim peace agreement in June, but the accord was short-lived. In recent weeks, Iran-aligned Houthis from Yemen have carried out multiple assaults on Saudi Arabia, the world's leading crude exporter.