The war with the Islamic Republic of Iran has entered its fourth week. US President Donald Trump threatened Iran on Saturday, saying it has 48 hours to open the Straits of Hormuz or the United States will strike Iran’s power plants. However, as the rhetoric increases, there is always hope that a mediator may step forward and that the war could eventually end.
Journalist Barak Ravid posted a new piece at Axios on X/Twitter: “After three weeks of war, Trump’s team is currently trying to answer two key questions: Who in Iran is the best point of contact for negotiations? And which country is the best mediator?”
Turkey’s state media TRT is also discussing how countries might help the US and Israel come to some kind of agreement with Iran.
“Russia, Turkey, China, and partners offer to broker Middle East peace deal. Moscow: Russian Foreign Ministry stressed collective security proposals and region-wide negotiations as ways to stabilize the Middle East conflict,” a TRT headline noted.
This is important because it indicates that some countries are thinking about which country might help end the war. The US has demands of Iran. The Islamic Republic also has demands. None of the demands currently appear to be workable because the regime wants guarantees that it won’t be attacked again and wants compensation for the war and other concessions. It has shown in the past that it won’t accept the US’s terms relating to the nuclear and missile program, either.
Escalating conflict shows risks to Middle East stability
Tehran claims to believe that it was twice lured by the Americans into talks, only to have the US and Israel attack. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was involved in those talks, and Oman also played a key role. Oman appears to have come away with the sense that it was used or betrayed.
The perception in Tehran is that the US and Israel were planning the war for months and that the talks were merely used to play out the clock. The same thing happened before the 12 Day War in June last year. The Islamic Republic claims to be reticent to walk back into talks under this cloud.
With Oman also feeling burned, it is not clear where the countries may find a neutral venue that would host talks. Turkey and Qatar are obvious choices, especially since Doha helped with the ceasefire in 2025 after the 12 Day War.
Turkey is a member of NATO and not involved in the war. Iran has attacked Qatar, which makes Doha a complex venue. Egypt is another country that could be involved; it has had increasingly better ties with Iran over the years. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi was recently on a trip to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, and Egypt has also had positive relations with the Trump administration in the past.
Another country that could play a role is Kazakhstan. It has hosted Iran before during the Astana process on Syria. It also hosted Iran, Russia, and Turkey in talks beginning in 2016 aimed at winding down the Syrian civil war.
Additionally, Kazakhstan joined the Abraham Accords in November 2025.
Turkey’s Anadolu media noted on Thursday that “US President Donald Trump has invited his Kazakh counterpart, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, to the next Board of Peace meeting, as well as the G20 summit to be held in Miami later this year, Kazakhstan’s presidential press secretary said Thursday.”
The report goes on to say, “In a statement published on Telegram, Aibek Smadiyarov [a Kazakh presidential adviser] said Trump sent a letter to Tokayev expressing appreciation for their meeting at the inaugural Board of Peace session held in Washington on February 19.”
It is possible that this could be a sign that Kazakhstan could play a role in peace efforts regarding Iran. So far, however, it is not clear whether Kazakhstan or any other Central Asian countries are going to be more engaged on this issue.
India could also play a role. It has been in touch with Iran, and Tehran and New Delhi have positive ties. According to Indian government website News on Air, on Saturday, “External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar spoke to his Iranian counterpart, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, this evening. He conveyed greetings for Nowruz and Eid. In a social media post, Dr. Jaishankar said the conversation was on the latest developments regarding the conflict and its implications for the larger region.”
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on Saturday that he had spoken “with President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian and conveyed Eid and Nowruz greetings. We expressed hope that this festive season brings peace, stability, and prosperity to West Asia. Condemned attacks on critical infrastructure in the region, which threaten regional stability and disrupt global supply chains. Reiterated the importance of safeguarding freedom of navigation and ensuring that shipping lanes remain open and secure. Appreciated Iran’s continued support for the safety and security of Indian nationals in Iran.”
India is also a friend of the US and Israel. As such, it could play a key role in the future in terms of issues relating to Iran and regional stability.