Consultations with Qatar and Pakistan are extremely intensive

If you fill up your car in Kuwait or keep an eye on petrol prices, you already have a stake in what’s happening in Doha this week. Talks between Iran and the United States, held through Qatari and Pakistani mediators, could decide whether the Strait of Hormuz – the narrow waterway that carries a huge share of the Gulf’s oil exports, including Kuwait’s – stays open or faces fresh disruption.

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said on 2 November that the consultations happening through Qatar and Pakistan are moving ahead intensively. He said that if the US accepts Iran’s conditions, it would lead to the Strait of Hormuz reopening and talks resuming, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA.

For anyone living in Kuwait, this isn’t just distant diplomacy. The Strait sits right next to Kuwaiti waters, and any tension there tends to push fuel and shipping costs up fast, even before anything actually happens.

What exactly did Iran say?

Earlier the same day, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, said a deal could be reached within the next few days. He said the basis for diplomacy with the US rests on a seven-step Iranian proposal, and that this proposal has now been “compressed” so it can be carried out within two days.

At the same time, Baghaei accused Washington of working against any diplomatic path. He said Washington has proven so far that it works to derail any diplomatic track. He added that Iran has put its demands on the table clearly, and said it is now up to the US to respond.

Araghchi confirmed that messages are still being passed between the Iranian and American sides through mediators. He revealed that Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Gharibabadi, travelled to Doha to help move this process along, and he called on the US to make its decision.

Why Doha, and why now?

These statements came after meetings held in Doha on Saturday and Sunday, which themselves followed Qatari-Iranian talks in Tehran. Qatar has positioned itself as a key go-between in this round of diplomacy, alongside Pakistan.

The timing matters. Reports say Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been pushing the Trump administration to resume strikes on Iran as soon as possible, possibly even the day after the US midterm elections scheduled for 3 November. That adds pressure on both sides to either lock in a deal quickly or prepare for the opposite outcome.

US President Donald Trump, for his part, said the negotiations are going well. But he also hinted that strong and fast strikes remain an option if things don’t move forward.

Why this matters if you live in Kuwait

Kuwait sits right at the top of the Gulf, and a large share of the country’s oil exports pass through or near the Strait of Hormuz. Any serious disruption there – whether from conflict or from tighter restrictions – tends to affect oil prices worldwide within hours, not weeks.

For expats and citizens alike, that can mean higher fuel costs, pricier imported goods, and possible delays for ships carrying everything from food to construction materials into Kuwaiti ports. Flight paths over the Gulf can also be affected if tensions rise, which has happened before during past periods of regional friction.

On the other hand, if Araghchi’s comments turn into an actual agreement, it would ease a source of regional uncertainty that’s been hanging over Gulf markets for months. You can follow how this story develops, along with other regional news, in our international news coverage.

Quick answers