DOHA: Talks between Iran and the United States mediated by Qatar ended without any major breakthrough, raising concerns over renewed tensions and the possibility of another military confrontation between the two countries.According to US news website Axios, citing three sources familiar with the talks, neither Iran nor the United States was willing to back away from its core position, preventing the negotiations from producing a significant breakthrough.The report said the Qatari mediator held several hours of talks in New York with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his delegation. During the discussions, the sides also considered a two-page draft proposal presented by Qatar aimed at finding a possible compromise over Iran’s nuclear programme and US sanctions.Axios reported that the White House had been hopeful of progress in the talks, but Washington currently does not believe it needs an immediate agreement, while Tehran has also remained unwilling to abandon its key demands.The report further cited US officials as saying that if diplomatic efforts fail, President Donald Trump could order another major military operation against Iran after the midterm elections. However, there has been no official announcement from the White House that such military action has been decided.Meanwhile, Reuters reported on September 30 that messages were still being exchanged between the United States and Iran through Qatar, and that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had received the US side’s response. This indicates that despite the impasse, diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran have not completely broken down.Qatar’s Foreign Ministry has also said that Doha continues its mediation efforts between the United States and Iran and that the exchange of messages between the two sides remains ongoing.The lack of tangible progress in the talks has kept concerns over renewed military escalation in the region alive, while failure of diplomatic efforts could further intensify confrontation between Iran and the United States.