The United States and Iran remain locked in a prolonged war, with negotiations yet to produce a breakthrough, even as President Donald Trump signaled that fresh military strikes are unlikely if talks yield what he considers a strong agreement. Trump’s comments came after he met Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani at the White House, as Doha continues to mediate between Washington and Tehran. Trump said Qatar and Saudi Arabia want a peaceful solution, but he did not rule out further strikes, telling Reuters: “We’ll see where it goes.”
In a CNN interview on Sunday, Trump said it would be “highly unlikely” that military action would be necessary if an agreement could be reached. He also warned that Washington had identified additional targets in Iran, including 38 bridges, that could be hit if military operations resume. Asked by CBS’s 60 Minutes whether he planned to escalate, Trump said: “Well I’m not looking to. I don’t think there’s any reason to.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has issued directives on ending the state of “neither war nor peace” with the United States. Pezeshkian signaled Tehran’s willingness to engage in diplomatic talks but made clear Iran will not bow to external pressure. He said any dialogue must be conducted on a fair and equal footing, without coercion, according to the Iranian news agency ISNA. “We can talk with dignity and end the issue with dignity,” he said.
The White House meeting between Trump and Qatar’s prime minister lasted about 45 minutes and focused on negotiations with Iran, Axios reported, citing a diplomat who described the talks as “positive.” Tehran has proposed a roadmap calling for Washington to lift its blockade of Iranian ports, ease certain sanctions and stop strikes. In return, Iran has offered to end its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, with discussions on its nuclear program and remaining sanctions to follow later. Washington has dismissed the proposal, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized Tehran’s demands as “outrageous and ridiculous, and really not realistic.” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, defended the offer as the most reasonable proposal available to end the conflict, and Iran ruled out transferring its enriched uranium abroad.
Rubio arrived in France on Monday for a two-day G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Paris expected to focus on the Iran conflict and Russia’s war in Ukraine. He said negotiations with Iran are not close to a breakthrough, despite continued efforts to find a diplomatic solution, while insisting the Trump administration remains open to diplomacy.
The US has launched a new military task force called Task Force Iron Gate to restrict Iran’s movement of weapons technology and other sanctioned goods across its land borders and through the Caspian Sea. US Central Command said the initiative would expand the existing naval blockade by targeting advanced weapons systems, dual-use technology, sanctioned materials and illegal revenue streams.
Regional tensions remained high. A suspected drone attack halted production at Iraq’s Khor Mor gas field, one of the largest in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, according to joint operator Dana Gas. A fire broke out on Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline after it came under attack, though operations were not disrupted. Oil prices fell sharply after Trump downplayed the likelihood of renewed strikes, with Brent crude down 4.2 percent to $94.23 a barrel and US West Texas Intermediate down 3.9 percent to $87.26.
In Israel, opposition leader and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot was given the first chance to form the next government after the October 27 election failed to produce a clear parliamentary majority. President Isaac Herzog tasked him with forming a government on Sunday, giving him 28 days with a possible 14-day extension. The Israeli military is also preparing for a possible resumption of its offensive in Lebanon if the conflict with Iran escalates again, according to a report in Yedioth Ahronoth. Separately, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth was accused by Republican US House Representative Thomas Massie of carrying out “unlawful orders” in launching the war without congressional approval, as Massie moved to impeach him. Trump and Rubio have voiced support for Hegseth.
Original Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-iran-war-live-updates-trump-midterms-loss-tehran-peace-talks-qatar-mediator-strikes-hegseth-israel-netanyahu-news-101794189143678.html
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Publish Date: 2026-11-10 02:31:00
