Qatar presents Iran with new draft deal to end war with US and Israel, Tehran to respond this week

Qatari mediators presented Iran with a new draft deal on Sunday to end the war with the US and Israel, and Tehran is expected to send a response to the draft by the end of the week, an official briefed on the negotiations said on Wednesday.

The new draft being considered by Iran sets a seven-day timeline addressing both Tehran's and Washington's concerns, laying out daily confidence-building steps that each side must take, the official said.

The timeline could begin early next week and several countries would act as guarantors of the deal, the official added.


Qatar, along with Pakistan, has led mediation to end the war that the US and Israel launched in February this year.

COST OF CONFLICT FOR US

The US military has spent over $47 billion so far to prosecute the war in Iran, more than 25% higher than the Defense Department's estimate in July, according to the obtainedPentagon data.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment on its estimate, which has not been shared publicly.

The disclosure about the rising cost of the Iran war comes as Republicans wrestle with the political fallout of the unpopular conflict ahead of the November 3 election.