Trump meets Qatar's prime minister at noon on Iran as Rubio calls Tehran's demands "outrageous" and the military stands ready

President Trump will meet Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in the Oval Office at noon Monday to talk about Iran, Axios reports. The meeting is on the official White House schedule as closed press.

Qatar has been the main go-between for Washington and Tehran in recent weeks. According to Axios, the Qatari prime minister wants Trump to give diplomacy more time. He is also expected to meet Vice President JD Vance separately before sitting down with the president.

Qatar and other regional players have been passing along a draft two-day plan. On the first day, the U.S. would lift its naval blockade and release some of Iran's frozen funds, and Iran would invite U.N. nuclear inspectors back to its bombed nuclear sites. On the second day, the Strait of Hormuz would reopen and nuclear talks would resume, focused on Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium. Sources told Axios the midterm elections have slowed the talks.

The administration is not budging. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that Iran's demands are "not just unacceptable but, in some cases, outrageous and ridiculous and really not realistic," and that "I wouldn't say we're on the verge of a breakthrough." Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, answered with a threat that Iran's "warriors" would "rain down hell."

Axios reports that if Trump orders renewed strikes, the U.S. military is ready to act on short notice.