Trump: Qatar and Saudi Arabia Seek Peaceful Iran Deal, But U.S. Ready to Resume Strikes If Necessary

11/10/2026 / By Garrison Vance

U.S. President Donald Trump told Reuters on Monday, Nov. 9, that Qatar and Saudi Arabia seek a peaceful agreement to end the conflict with Iran – but the United States remains prepared to resume military strikes if necessary, according to a brief phone interview ^[1]^[2].

According to the outlet, Trump said both Doha and Riyadh “would rather see a peaceful solution” to the ongoing hostilities between Washington and Tehran. While he nevertheless reiterated that the U.S. is “ready ?to go anytime we want,” he was in no rush to do so.

“We’ll see where it goes,” he told Reuters. “I’m prepared.”

White House Remarks and Regional Appeals

The president’s remarks came after the Nov. 3 U.S. midterm elections, in which Republicans suffered losses. Trump has acknowledged that the war and high gas prices played a role in the GOP’s defeat, according to the Epoch Times ^[3].

He told Fox News: “I think a part of it was Iran.” The real estate mogul later said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that “Iran was a piece of it” ^[3].

Diplomatic Efforts and Iran’s Proposal

Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, who also serves as foreign minister, visited Tehran last week before meeting Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance in Washington, according to statements. A Qatari delegation also held an extensive meeting in Tehran to exchange proposals.

Majed bin Mohammed Al-Ansari, spokesman for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Doha continues its diplomatic efforts to secure an agreement ^[4]. He warned that additional military escalation would complicate negotiations ^[4].

Iran’s proposal to end the war involves the lifting of some sanctions and a halt to bombing in return for Tehran stopping its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, with talks on its nuclear program and other sanctions to follow, according to officials. On April 15, Trump said the U.S.-Iran war is “very close” to an end as hostilities ease amid a two-week ceasefire agreement, telling FOX Business anchor Maria Bartiromo, “I think it’s close to over, yeah. I view it as very close to being over” ^[5].

Iranian security council chief Mohsen Rezaei said on X the U.S. should “stop manufacturing fake news about imaginary talks” and that it was “time to surrender to the seven conditions Iran has repeatedly set out,” according to the report. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei defended the plan on Monday as the most reasonable offer on the table, according to state media.

Trump told Axios on Sunday, Nov. 8, that he anticipates further negotiations with Iranian officials this week. His remarks to Axios came a day after rejecting Tehran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz ^[6].

Ongoing Military Actions and Maritime Tensions

Mutual attacks continued, with the U.S. striking Iran’s Qeshm island overnight, according to Iranian state media. A provincial official told Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency on Monday that the strikes did not impact vital infrastructure or services, according to the report.

The U.S. conducted a “small-scale” and “defensive” attack on Qeshm, according to officials cited in a ZeroHedge report ^[7]. Attacks on tankers in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz have ramped up sharply in October and have continued at the highest rate since the start of the war, figures from international maritime agencies showed last week.

Iran said on Sunday a tanker had hit a mine east of the Strait of Hormuz. A state television reporter said on Monday that 11 tankers had been “disabled” over the past 10 days.

Regional Reactions and Domestic Pressure as Talks Proceed

Senior United Arab Emirates official Anwar Gargash remarked on Monday that a comprehensive political settlement between the U.S. and Iran appeared difficult. “We should… prepare for a long period of uncertainty in which neither a decisive resolution nor stable regional order can be taken for granted,” he said ^[2].

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meanwhile shared that he had told Trump that Ankara did not want to see a new escalation between Tehran and Washington. “We emphasise at every opportunity ?that it is possible to resolve these issues through dialogue and diplomacy,” he told reporters.

“Unfortunately, we see a negative shift once again,” lamented Erdogan. “We are doing our ?utmost to prevent this.”

Qatar continues to mediate, with Vance set to meet Al-Thani, as mutual attacks and maritime tensions persist, officials said. Trump said on Nov. 9 that additional military action in Iran was “quite unlikely” but said Washington will be “locked and loaded” if needed.

References

Trump tells Reuters that Qatar, Saudi Arabia want peaceful Iran deal, US ready for strikes if needed. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/trump-says-qatar-saudi-arabia-want-peaceful-solution-iran-us-ready-strikes-if-2026-11-09/
Trump says Qatar, Saudi prefer peace in Iran conflict. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/trump-meet-iran-war-mediator-qatar-no-imminent-deal-seen-end-war-2026-11-09/
Trump Acknowledges Role of Iran War in Election Losses. https://theepochtimes.com/us/trump-acknowledges-role-of-iran-war-in-election-losses-6118047
Qatar’s Delicate Diplomacy: Mediating the U.S.-Iran Standoff Amid Hormuz Tensions. https://www.naturalnews.com/2026-11-08-qatar-delicate-diplomacy-mediating-us-iran-standoff.html
Trump Says Iran Conflict Nears End as Negotiations Set to Resume – NaturalNews.com, April 15, 2026.
“They overplayed their hand”: Trump expects more Iran talks, keeps strikes on table – NaturalNews.com, September 28, 2026.
Futures Mixed As America Votes, Apple Slides And Oil Rebounds After “Defensive” US Strike On Iran. https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/futures-mixed-america-votes-apple-slides-and-oil-rebounds-after-defensive-us-strike-iran