Al Arabiya, citing unnamed sources, reported that a Qatari-Pakistani mediation proposal had revived negotiations and that Washington was prepared to accept Iran enriching uranium to 3.67%. The sources said Tehran had agreed to the proposed limit and that a preliminary agreement was increasingly likely. Reports also said discussions were under way about the return of International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to Iran, though the scope and conditions of any inspections remain unclear.

Neither government has confirmed the reported enrichment arrangement, and a senior Qatari official has reportedly disputed details of the proposal. The 3.67% threshold would be far below the 60% enrichment Iran has previously achieved and would match the limit set by the 2015 nuclear agreement. The reports came as Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was scheduled to meet President Donald Trump on Monday to discuss a possible ceasefire and renewed nuclear negotiations.

The optimism contrasts with comments from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who told reporters Sunday that Tehran’s demands were “not just unacceptable, but in some cases outrageous and ridiculous.” Rubio said Washington remained open to diplomacy but that talks had produced little meaningful progress. Oil prices have reacted sharply to unverified claims before: last Wednesday, Brent plunged nearly 9% and fell below $95 a barrel amid expectations of an accelerated end to the Iran war. Al Jadeed had reported progress in negotiations, but a senior Iranian official rejected those claims.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy said the East-West pipeline was targeted in the Medina region on Monday, starting a limited fire. Emergency crews extinguished it; authorities reported no casualties and no disruption to operations. The route lets Saudi Arabia ship crude through the Red Sea, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. The attack highlights the risks facing energy infrastructure even as diplomatic reports raise hopes of easing regional tensions.