Iran and the United States are still far from a deal to end their war, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday, as US President Donald Trump declined to rule out a resumption of US combat operations after the elections in the United States.
Trump made his comments in separate interviews as Americans voted in pivotal midterm elections in which the unpopular Iran war has been a key factor and as mediator Qatar stepped up efforts to avert a renewed escalation.
Overnight, the United States carried out “defensive” strikes on Iran’s Qeshm island, targeting surface-to-air missiles used against US assets, a US official said. Another official said the strikes appeared limited and did not signal a return to major combat operations.
Trump on Tuesday renewed warnings of military action in an interview with the Fox News Channel. “I’m not looking to … kill lots of people,” he said. “If we have to, we’ll have to.”
In an interview with the Financial Times, Trump suggested he was content with the state of the stand-off with Iran.
“We seem to be getting everything we want,” the paper quoted him as saying in a six-minute telephone interview.
The FT said it asked Trump about what it called “strong hints” by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that there would be an attack later this week.
“I’m ready, we’re ready. We’re locked and loaded if we need to go, but there may be no reason for it,” he replied.
Trump told the FT indirect negotiations with Iran about its stockpile of enriched uranium were ongoing. “We’re having discussions, and we’ll see how that all works out,” he said.
Also on Tuesday, Trump made a surprise announcement of a deal with Netanyahu under which Washington would stop $4 billion in annual funding to Israel after this year, but would sell weapons to its close Middle East ally. The remarks appeared aimed at swaying voters unhappy with US support for Israel.
Fears have grown that the conflict launched by the United States and Israel in February could flare up again after Tuesday’s midterms.
“Mediators are working hard to narrow gaps between Tehran and Washington,” the senior Iranian official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Qatari mediators travelled to Tehran on Monday night for talks on a version of a draft US-Iran deal discussed over the past eight days.
“Tehran’s conditions must be met if the US wants Hormuz reopened,” the Iranian official cautioned, referring to Iranian demands including waiving oil sanctions, ending the US naval blockade and releasing frozen Iranian funds.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, later said the US response to Iranian demands “was not convincing”, adding that Washington “must fully and explicitly address Iran’s seven conditions and act upon them”.
“Only in this case will the Strait of Hormuz be reopened,” he wrote on X.