Qataris hold marathon talks in Tehran in bid for U.S.-Iran deal before midterms

Qatari mediators held talks in Tehran for more than 12 hours on Friday in an effort to reach a deal to restart direct negotiations between the U.S. and Iran and avoid an outbreak of war after the midterms, according to diplomatic sources.The discussions will continue in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday.Why it matters: The U.S. is now just days away from a possible military operation that would inflict enormous damage on Iran and likely lead to retaliatory strikes against Israel and a host of Gulf countries.Driving the news: A diplomatic source said Qatari mediators were in regular contact with the Whi