Iran and the United States remain far from reaching an agreement to end their war, despite intensified diplomatic efforts to prevent a return to major military confrontation, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday.
The diplomatic push comes as regional governments grow increasingly concerned that the conflict, launched by the United States and Israel in February, could reignite after Tuesday’s US midterm elections.
Overnight, the United States carried out what it described as defensive strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island. A US official said the attacks targeted surface-to-air missiles used against American assets. Another official described the strikes as limited, adding that they did not indicate a return to major combat operations.
Qatar has increased its mediation efforts as Washington and Tehran continue exchanging proposals through intermediaries. A senior Iranian official said Qatari mediators travelled to Tehran on Monday night to discuss a version of a draft agreement that has been under negotiation for the past eight days.
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“Mediators are working hard to narrow gaps between Tehran and Washington,” the official said.
However, the official warned that Iran’s conditions would have to be met before the strategically important Strait of Hormuz could be reopened.
“Tehran’s conditions must be met if the US wants Hormuz reopened,” the official said, referring to the waterway that plays a critical role in global energy supplies.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said on Tuesday that both Washington and Tehran remained committed to mediation and were reviewing proposals presented by mediators. Although the Qatari delegation had returned to Doha, discussions were continuing.
“There are intensive joint regional efforts underway to avoid escalation,” al-Ansari said, adding that Qatar remained hopeful an agreement could create the conditions for future negotiations.
The Iranian official said nuclear negotiations could only begin after Tehran’s conditions were fulfilled. Iran would not accept what the official described as Washington’s excessive demands.
The official also warned that Tehran would respond forcefully to any US strikes, both within the region and beyond.
Hormuz and nuclear negotiations remain major obstacles
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the central points of disagreement between the two sides. Iran has made its reopening conditional on Washington meeting Tehran’s demands, leaving a major obstacle to any broader settlement.
The Iranian official’s comments also indicate that nuclear negotiations remain tied to the wider political and military dispute. Tehran is unwilling to begin those discussions before its conditions are addressed.
Oil prices rose by around $1 on Tuesday after falling more than 7% the previous day, when expectations of diplomatic progress had eased concerns about further disruption.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had shot down a US MQ-9 drone and two Lucas drones near the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting the continuing military tensions despite diplomatic engagement.
Qalibaf says responsibility for a deal rests with Washington
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said the next move depended on Washington, arguing that Tehran had already delivered what he called a strong and rational response.
“The enemy seeks to force the Iranian nation into submission through threats and military action, but they are sorely mistaken; Iran will not submit,” Qalibaf said.
He added that any American miscalculation would trigger an unpredictable Iranian response that would not be limited by geographical boundaries.
Regional governments have been preparing for the possibility that US President Donald Trump could resume military operations after Tuesday’s midterm elections. However, Trump cast doubt on Monday about whether he would follow through on previous threats.
Asked whether he was considering striking Iran after the elections, Trump replied, “No.” He also said he believed Tehran wanted an agreement as soon as possible and that a deal “could happen”.
Despite Trump’s comments, Iranian military officials have continued issuing warnings about the consequences of renewed attacks.
Ali Abdollahi, head of Iran’s armed forces general staff, said the military was updating its target lists to include American and Israeli material and non-material assets. He warned that Iran would respond immediately to any threat, without geographical restrictions.
The warnings follow an order from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei directing the armed forces to respond immediately and without geographical limits to threats from Iran’s adversaries.
Iranian officials and media outlets have since increasingly raised the possibility of targeting military facilities outside the Middle East if they are used to launch attacks against Iran.
Hardline newspaper Kayhan said on Tuesday that American facilities in Britain, Italy, Greece, Romania, Albania and Cyprus could become targets of Iranian missiles if the war resumes.
Iran and Saudi Arabia pursue regional security talks
Alongside Qatar’s mediation between Tehran and Washington, regional diplomatic efforts are continuing to prevent the conflict from spreading further.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Tuesday that discussions with Saudi Arabia were ongoing, with both sides seeking new regional security arrangements that would exclude foreign military involvement.
Last week, senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan met Iranian officials in Tehran. The meeting marked the first high-level contact between Iran and the three countries since August.
The diplomatic engagement comes as the conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel has expanded beyond its original theatres, with fighting also spreading to Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
Riyadh said the recent visit was intended to establish negotiating channels to prevent a return to military escalation. The urgency has increased as fighting between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis has intensified.
Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia escalated as the group advanced towards the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, another major shipping chokepoint located on the opposite side of the Arabian Peninsula from the Strait of Hormuz.
The Houthis have also attacked Saudi oil facilities and airports, including Riyadh’s international airport, disrupting flights and oil exports. Saudi Arabia has responded with air strikes against targets in Yemen.
Yemen has been embroiled in civil war since the Houthis pushed the internationally recognised, Saudi-backed government out of the capital, Sanaa, in 2014.
Diplomatic momentum faces the threat of renewed conflict
The latest diplomatic activity suggests that regional governments are increasingly concerned about the consequences of another round of US-Iran military confrontation. Qatar’s mediation, alongside discussions involving Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan, reflects efforts to prevent the conflict from widening further.
However, the positions outlined by Tehran indicate that substantial disagreements remain. Iran is insisting that its conditions be met before nuclear negotiations can begin and before the Strait of Hormuz can reopen. Washington, meanwhile, has yet to secure an agreement acceptable to both sides.
Trump’s rejection of an immediate post-election strike has offered some reassurance, but Iranian military warnings and the overnight US strikes on Qeshm Island underline how fragile the situation remains.
Whether mediation can produce a breakthrough will depend on the willingness of Washington and Tehran to narrow their differences. For now, diplomatic channels remain open, but the prospect of a lasting agreement is still uncertain.
With information from Reuters.
