Qatari mediators flew to Tehran on Sunday as part of an urgent diplomatic mission coordinated with the United States, aimed at keeping a proposed peace agreement from collapsing, according to CNN.
The negotiators departed from Doha in an effort to close the remaining gaps between Washington and Tehran after a breakdown in the ceasefire raised fears that talks aimed at ending the conflict and reopening the Strait of Hormuz could fall apart.
A source with knowledge of the talks told CNN that plans for an in-person signing ceremony between both sides were scrapped due to logistical hurdles and concerns that any delays could threaten the already fragile ceasefire. The two sides shifted instead to the idea of an electronic signing process.
Several major issues remain unresolved, including the size of Iran’s uranium enrichment stockpile and Tehran’s reported push to charge ships a fee for passing through the Strait of Hormuz — a proposal the United States has rejected.
The mediation push comes as Iranian officials and media organizations publicly disputed claims that a memorandum of understanding would be signed Sunday.
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social Saturday that a deal was “scheduled to get signed” the following day. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif echoed that optimism, writing on X: “We are closer to a peace deal than ever before. With finalisation likely expected in the next 24 hours.”
But a media outlet connected to the Revolutionary Guards flatly rejected that timeline, saying senior Iranian negotiators had made clear the agreement “has not yet been finalized and will certainly not be done on Sunday.”
That same outlet took aim at what it described as President Trump’s “unusual insistence” on a Sunday signing, suggesting the push was tied to the president’s 80th birthday.
President Trump had previously indicated that Vice President JD Vance would attend a signing ceremony in Europe. The president is set to travel to France for the G7 summit.
According to CNN, Qatar’s active role in the mediation reflects the stakes Doha has in reaching an agreement, after Iranian missile strikes hit critical Qatari energy infrastructure during the conflict. The report noted that Qatar has pursued diplomatic channels with Tehran in hopes of preventing further damage to its energy facilities and helping bring the regional blockade to an end.
