Iran

Iran news covering the nuclear program and international inspections, sanctions and their enforcement, diplomacy, regional security and domestic politics. Stories also track the effect on oil markets and shipping, and distinguish confirmed facts from official claims.Read moreShow lessFAQ

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1723 articles shownof 1728 totalLast updated 2026-11-06 23:27 UTC

Vance has been personally running indirect Iran talks for two weeks, two sources say

Vice President JD Vance has been in near-daily contact with Qatari and Pakistani mediators on a new Iran ceasefire, according to two sources with knowledge of the effort. It comes two days after he said the war is why Republicans lost the midterms. A working-level U.S.-Iran technical meeting has been discussed but has not yet happened.

Windward Says Four Iran-Linked Ships Looped, Loitered and Went Dark Over Gulf of Oman Cables in October

Maritime intelligence firm Windward says three US-sanctioned tankers and an Iranian fishing boat slowed, circled and switched off tracking over undersea cable corridors off Oman. The firm says the pattern fits cable mapping or placing charges or mines, while a British naval analyst says it could be coincidence. The Iranian threats that preceded the activity were tied to renewed US or Israeli strikes, which remain an open question.

Iranian Lawmaker Calls Hormuz Standoff 'Not Sustainable' as Tehran Repeats Seven Demands and a Tanker Crewman Dies

Since the U.S. and Israel struck Iran on Feb. 28, both sides have kept competing blockades on Hormuz. As of today, Nov. 6, Iranian officials say there will be no talks or reopening until Washington meets seven conditions, and a seafarer died in a suspected missile strike on a tanker. Trump has said he wants a deal, but Tehran is demanding U.S. concessions first.

Iran Hands Out Iodine Tablets and Issues Nuclear Survival Guidance as Trump Threatens Pickaxe Mountain

Since the U.S. and Israel opened their offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, Tehran has now moved to civil-defense preparations: iodine tablets near nuclear sites and state-backed shelter instructions. Trump has said the U.S. 'might have to go after' Pickaxe Mountain, and the White House says nothing suggests a nuclear option. The site's depth and Iran's refusal to admit inspectors leave the military and diplomatic picture unresolved.

Leaked Russian Records Show Order for 90 Missile Launchers Coded for Iran; Delivery Unconfirmed

Production records obtained by the Ukrainian firm Dallas Analytics list an export order for 90 helicopter missile launchers under a code that other Russian paperwork ties to Iran. The records do not show the launchers were delivered, and the administration says Russian help has not hurt U.S. operations. The question now is what Washington does about Moscow's role as it weighs next steps in the Iran war after the midterms.

Iran Sends Khamenei Message to Putin and Offers New Proposal via Qatar as Trump Says US Is 'Locked and Loaded'

Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei delivered a message from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to Vladimir Putin on Thursday, Nov. 5, while Tehran passed a new proposal to Washington through Qatar. Trump says he will decide soon whether to resume major combat operations. Iran says nothing moves until its seven demands are met, and the U.S. says nuclear terms come first.

Brent Set for Steepest Weekly Fall Since 2020 as Trump Speaks With Qatar's Emir on Iran Deal

Brent crude traded near $98.60 on Friday, Nov. 6, and is on track for roughly a 16% weekly drop, its largest since the start of the COVID pandemic, as Trump spoke with Qatar's emir about a deal with Iran. Trump also said Thursday he will decide soon whether to widen the war. Iran says it will neither reopen Hormuz nor negotiate until the U.S. meets seven demands.

Satellite Images Show Digging Near Two Iranian Missile Sites and Repairs at a Dozen More, Analysts Say

Imagery from early November shows excavation and new buildings at Iran's Garmdareh and Shahroud missile sites, plus repairs at at least 12 other military facilities, according to analysts at the British firm MAIAR. The work follows months of US and Israeli strikes, and speculation about renewed American attacks has grown since this week's midterms.

Lebanese Pack Bags as Israel Reportedly Presses Beirut to Block Hezbollah Ahead of Possible Iran Strike

Since war reached Lebanon on March 2, Israeli action has killed 4,389 people, per the Lebanese Health Ministry, and residents are now stocking medicine and packing evacuation bags. Israel is reportedly pressing Beirut through U.S. mediators to put Lebanese troops between Hezbollah and the border, while Hezbollah's leader refuses to discuss disarmament. Whether Hezbollah joins a renewed U.S.-Iran fight is the question everything else hangs on.

Tanker Hit by Two Projectiles Off Qatar as Iran Claims Five Ships Struck Mines in Hormuz

The UK Maritime Trade Operations center said a tanker was hit by two unidentified projectiles in the Persian Gulf late Wednesday, Nov. 4. Iran's Revolutionary Guard separately claims five ships hit mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Neither account has been independently confirmed, and the shipping lanes at the center of the war remain closed and contested.

Brent Back Near $100 as Rapidan Puts 80% Odds on Renewed US-Iran Fighting

Eight months into the U.S.-Iran conflict, Brent crude was trading between roughly $99.40 and $99.90 in early Asian trading Friday, Nov. 6, after a Thursday rebound. Rapidan Energy's Bob McNally puts the odds of renewed U.S. military action at 80%, while Iran says it has sent a nuclear proposal through Qatar, conditioned on seven demands.

Iraq's Prime Minister Tells Trump His Territory Won't Be Used to Attack Neighbors as White House Weighs Resuming Iran War

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi told President Trump by phone on Thursday, Nov. 5, that Iraq will not be a launchpad for attacks on its neighbors. Senior officials told Fox News that Trump met his national security team on whether to resume strikes on Iran, with Nov. 9 flagged as a favorable date. Baghdad, which has lost more than $60 billion in oil revenue, is trying to stay out of a renewed war.

US Strikes Iran's Qeshm Island, Official Says It Was Defensive Response to Fire on U.S. Aircraft

The U.S. hit Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz after, a U.S. official says, Iran fired at an American aircraft. The administration insists it is not a return to a bombing campaign, while Trump says more strikes could come "in one hour" as talks drag on.

Trump Weighs Next Iran Move as Qatar Mediates Nuclear Talks and Hegseth Fires Pentagon's Top Planner

President Trump says Iranian leaders will know his decision "soon enough" while Qatari-mediated nuclear proposals move between Washington and Tehran. Hegseth has ousted Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, the Joint Staff's chief planner, and anonymous administration sources are pointing fingers at both Hegseth and CENTCOM's Adm. Brad Cooper after the war-shadowed midterms. Whether strikes resume or the diplomacy holds now turns on Tehran's answer.

Half of Japan-based Navy destroyers and the carrier George Washington are deployed to the Iran war as Theodore Roosevelt steams west

Five of the 10 destroyers homeported in Yokosuka, plus the carrier George Washington, are in the Middle East, and the Theodore Roosevelt strike group is now moving west to join them. The administration's own strategy documents named the Indo-Pacific and China as the top priority. Whether the Roosevelt relieves the Washington or reinforces it is the open question, with Pentagon spending on the Iran war already past $47 billion.

Iran Sends U.S. Seven-Point Proposal Through Qatar, Says Talks Hinge on Washington Meeting Its Demands

A senior Iranian official says Tehran delivered a formal proposal to Washington through Qatari mediators today, Nov. 5, and will negotiate further only if the U.S. meets seven demands. Washington is reviewing it. The gap on the enriched uranium stockpile, sanctions and the naval blockade is still wide, and the U.S. military is still preparing for the possibility of renewed strikes.

Unsealed Court Documents Show Trump Administration Kept Deportation Contacts With Iran During the War

Court records unsealed Thursday show U.S. immigration officials stayed in touch with Iranian officials during the war about travel documents and "possible avenues for removal." A federal judge now requires 24 hours' notice to the court of any finalized plan and five days' written notice before any deportation.

China to Send Envoy to Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia in November as Hormuz Standoff Grinds On

Beijing's Foreign Ministry said Monday, Nov. 2, that special envoy Zhai Jun will visit Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia in early and mid-November, after Oman's sultan met Xi Jinping. Hormuz traffic is running at about 80% of prewar levels, and Trump has not said whether he will resume strikes or take a deal.

Iran Says Three More Tankers Hit in Hormuz as Brent Rebounds 2.2% to $96.70 After Post-Midterm Drop

Iran said three tankers were damaged in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, Nov. 5, and Brent crude recovered part of Wednesday's near-9% drop. Trump has not said whether he will order major new strikes or take a deal, and two carrier groups are already in the region. The Theodore Roosevelt group is at least two weeks away.

Iran Links Hormuz Exemptions to Indian Medicine Imports and Chinese Backing, While Indian Sailor Dies in Oman Attack

Since the U.S. and Israel struck Iran on Feb. 28 and Tehran moved to shut Hormuz, a senior Iranian lawmaker has spelled out what Iran expects from the four countries it says it exempted: medicines from India, political support from China. Indian and Chinese ships pay transit fees under his account, so "pass freely" means something narrower than free. India's own position is that attacks on shipping are "deeply concerning," and an Indian sailor was killed near Oman on Monday.

GOP Insiders Blame Trump and Iran War for Midterm Rout, Tehran Claims Victory, and the $23B Battleship Program Faces Scrutiny

Two days after Democrats won both chambers of Congress, Republican donors and aides are putting the loss on Trump, Vice President JD Vance is blaming the Iran war, and Iranian leaders are claiming the result as their own win. The next fights are over defense spending and a Mississippi Senate seat separated by about 1,000 votes.

Iran State Media Airs Nuclear-Attack Shelter Guide. Trump Says 'I Don't Need' Nukes

Since the US-Israeli war on Iran began Feb. 28, Tehran has now put civilian instructions for surviving a nuclear strike on state media. Trump told Politico he doesn't need nuclear weapons, answering a Tucker Carlson claim that no source has substantiated. With Iran's commanders promising new targets if fighting resumes, the dispute is over whether talks restart or the war does.

Trump's First Event After Midterm Loss Is a Ballroom Beam Signing. He Says Iran War 'Largely' Cost GOP

Democrats won the House and Senate on Tuesday, and Trump's first public appearance since was a ceremony at his White House ballroom site, where he spent about 16 minutes on marble and columns before taking questions. He conceded the Iran war hurt Republicans but said he would do it again. Vice President JD Vance put it more bluntly: 'The reason we lost is the war.'

US Officials Say Limited 'Defensive' Strikes Hit Iran's Qeshm Island Before Election Day as Hormuz Talks Stay Stuck

Three US officials say the military struck Iran's Qeshm Island on Monday, Nov. 2, in response to Iranian missile fire at a US aircraft. Qatari-mediated talks continue, but Iran still conditions reopening Hormuz on seven demands the US rejects. Oil has dropped about 10% in three sessions on diplomacy hopes, and the next fixed date is a January war powers fight in a Democratic Congress.

Iran Says Tanker Hit Mine, Second Supertanker and Tugboat Burned in Hormuz Overnight

Iran's Revolutionary Guard said Thursday that one tanker struck a mine and a second supertanker and a tugboat caught fire on routes Tehran calls unauthorized. The IRGC named no vessels and reported no crew status. With the IMO saying it cannot guarantee any lane outside the 1968 scheme is clear, the dispute over who controls Hormuz is still being settled with burning ships.

Jeffries Launches Speaker Bid, Sets 100-Day Agenda to Reverse Medicaid Cuts, End Tariffs and Stop Iran War

A day after Democrats won both chambers, Hakeem Jeffries formally launched his bid for speaker and told colleagues the new majority will move on Medicaid, ACA credits, tariffs and the Iran war in its first 100 days. Trump's veto and Senate math limit what can become law, so the oversight fights Democrats are promising may arrive first.

Treasury Sanctions Indian Couple and 9 Firms, Alleging Fake Ship Flags for Iranian Oil Tankers

The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Chandigarh-based Suniel Kumar Sharma, his wife Jaspreet Preeti Shahid, two other Indian nationals and nine India-based entities on Wednesday, Nov. 4, alleging they sold fraudulent flags and certificates to Iran's shadow fleet. The designations freeze any U.S. assets and bar most dealings with U.S. persons. Treasury says the fake registries were still servicing sanctioned tankers.

Iran Unveils 'We Will Kill Trump' Billboard in Tehran on Midterm Election Day as Deal Talks and Strike Warnings Collide

Iran put up a billboard in Tehran's Enghelab Square on Tuesday, Nov. 3, pledging to kill President Trump, as Iranian officials claimed credit for his party's midterm losses. Mediators are still working on a deal while Iran threatens an "earth-shattering blow" if U.S. strikes resume. Trump says he is in "no rush" to decide, and eight months of war now sit at the center of what voters just rejected.

Pentagon Adds Two Noncombat Airmen Deaths, Raising U.S. Iran War Toll to 23

Two Air Force airmen died in October in "non-hostile" incidents tied to the Iran war, bringing the Pentagon's official toll to 23. Nonhostile deaths now outnumber combat deaths 12 to 11, and the Air Force has not released the airmen's names, even as more forces head to the region and Trump talks about renewed strikes.

Trump Says Iran War 'Largely' Cost GOP Congress, Blames Failure to 'Transfer the Love' to Candidates

Hours after Democrats won both chambers of Congress, Trump held a ballroom beam-signing and said he "couldn't transfer the love" of his rally crowds to other Republicans. He also called Vice President JD Vance's claim that the Iran war cost the GOP the election "largely true." Trump says he can work with Democrats, but he also pointed to his veto power.

Oil Falls Nearly 9% to Below $90 as Vance Blames Iran War for GOP Midterm Losses

Eight months into the Iran war, WTI crude dropped to $87.59 and Brent to $93.91 by 12:36 p.m. ET today, Nov. 4, after Vice President JD Vance wrote on X that "the reason we lost is the war." Analysts split on whether traders are right to bet on a Trump pullback, and Trump himself says he has no regrets and would do it again.

Iran Claims Midterm Vote as Rejection of Trump's War, While Khamenei Rules Out Any Shift in Tehran's Stance

Eight months after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, Iranian officials are claiming Democrats' capture of both chambers of Congress as a verdict against the war. Trump says the war drove gas prices up but that he would do it again, and Chuck Schumer is pointing to the power of the purse. Whether Trump resumes full-scale strikes is still undecided.

Democrats Want to End the Iran War. Trump's Veto Stands in the Way

Since Trump launched the Iran war on Feb. 28, it has become a central issue in a Democratic sweep of Congress: exit polling shows 62% of voters call it a mistake. Democrats' tools are a symbolic war powers resolution and conditions on Pentagon funding, and neither gets past a Trump veto without Republican votes.

After Midterm Sweep, Burnham Presses for Hormuz Reopening as GOP Insiders Blame Iran War and European Gas Falls 2%

Britain's prime minister is asking world leaders to use the post-midterm moment to end the Iran war, while Trump-world sources blame the war for the Republican losses. European gas prices fell about 2% as traders wait to see what Trump does next. Trump says he has no regrets about launching the conflict.

After Democratic Midterm Sweep, Trump Keeps Iran War Powers Until Congress Is Seated Jan. 3

With Democrats projected to hold both chambers, Trump keeps near-total command of the Iran war and Ukraine diplomacy until the new Congress takes office on Jan. 3. Analysts disagree on whether that window brings an escalation or a push for a deal, and a veto-proof majority to force an end to the war is not in sight.

Iranian Lawmaker Says Ships From India, China, Iraq and Qatar Are Exempt From Hormuz Restrictions, Some Pay Fees

Ahmad Hayat-Moghaddam, a senior Iranian parliament security official, said Tuesday that Tehran has exempted ships from four countries from its Hormuz transit curbs, and that Iran collects fees from Indian and Chinese vessels. Iran is openly describing access to the strait as a tool for medicine imports and political support from Beijing. India has not publicly confirmed any change to its maritime safety position while its seafarers keep dying in the Gulf.

US Strikes Iran's Qeshm Island in 'Defensive' Action as Hardliners in Tehran Push to Leave Nuclear Treaty

A U.S. official says American forces hit Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, Nov. 2, after Iran fired at a U.S. aircraft, and called it defensive rather than a return to the war. Iranian lawmakers, clerics and commanders are openly debating an NPT exit and a bomb. The question now is whether Mojtaba Khamenei revises his father's ban on nuclear weapons if fighting resumes.

Trump Says Iran War Was 'Part' of Midterm Loss as ABC Tracker Shows Seven Democratic Senate Gains, Maine Included

Since Democrats were projected to take both chambers on Tuesday, Nov. 3, Maine has been added to the Senate flips, and Trump has blamed the Iran war's gas-price fallout while saying he was not on the ballot. House Democrats are already telling Trump officials to lawyer up. With Alaska and other races uncalled, the final margin is still open.

Israel Warns U.S. That Iran May Use Chemical Weapons, and American Officials Are Split on Whether to Believe It

Israel has spent two weeks telling U.S. and Gulf officials that Iran may be preparing chemical attacks, the New York Times reported Tuesday. American officials disagree on whether the intelligence is credible or a push to restart the war. U.S. Central Command has a strike plan ready that could begin as early as this evening, Nov. 4, but only President Trump can order it.

Iran Is Hitting Hormuz Shipping With Limpet Mines and Drones, Officials Say, as U.S. Prepares Strike Options

Regional officials, security firms and analysts say Iran has turned to undersea drones, rocket-propelled grenades and limpet mines to disrupt oil leaving the Gulf, even as the U.S. says it controls the strait. Two U.S. officials say American forces can launch major new strikes within 96 hours of a Trump order, with a decision most likely after the midterms. Brent is near $102 a barrel, against just over $70 before the war.

Oil Services CEOs Say Iran War Has Sometimes Tripled Logistics Costs in the Middle East

Executives at the ADIPEC energy conference in Abu Dhabi say shipping, fuel and labor costs on Middle East contracts have jumped, with Maire's CEO reporting logistics costs up as much as threefold. Contractors are still struggling to move equipment through Hormuz, and the cost increases are landing as U.S. producer prices and Treasury yields climb. Whether the pressure fades depends on how soon the war ends.

Hormuz Oil Flows Recovering but Not Normal, Rystad Says, as Brent Drops 8% on Iran Talks Hopes

Rystad Energy expects only a partial, fragile recovery in Gulf oil exports through 2027, even as Kpler data show total oil flows back at pre-war levels once alternate routes are counted. Brent fell more than 8% on Monday on hopes for a US-Iran deal, but ship strikes continue and the Nov. 29 OPEC+ meeting on 2027 quotas now has to plan around all of it.

Iran Calls US Response 'Not Convincing' and Ties Hormuz Reopening to Seven Demands

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said Tuesday, Nov. 3, that Washington's answer to Tehran's demands fell short and that the Strait of Hormuz reopens only if all seven conditions are met. The statement landed hours after a Qatari-linked report claimed the U.S. had approved a draft memorandum, and a day after U.S. strikes on Qeshm Island. Trump says he has made no decision on how to proceed.

IMO Says 34 Ships Attacked Near Hormuz in October, a Record, as U.S. Strikes Iranian Targets on Eve of Midterms

The head of the UN's maritime agency says at least 125 ships have been attacked around Hormuz since February, with 34 in October alone, and the true count is likely higher. A U.S. official told the AP that American forces carried out limited defensive strikes on Iranian targets Monday, Nov. 2. Midterm voting is today, Nov. 3, and the strait is still unsafe by the IMO's own assessment.

WTI Falls Below $95 for a Second Session as Rumors of US-Iran Deal Progress Outweigh Qeshm Strike Reports

Crude fell for a second straight session on Tuesday, Nov. 3, with WTI near $94 and Brent near $101.50, after an early bounce on Qeshm Island strike reports faded. Iran's president says the supreme leader has authorized talks on once-forbidden issues, while US officials describe continuing limited strikes. Voters are at the polls today, and a US-Iran deal and a post-election escalation both remain possible.

Gold Slips Toward $3,900 After Oil Rebounds on Signs US and Iran Are Far From a Deal

Spot gold fell as much as 1% to just above $3,900 an ounce on Tuesday, Nov. 3, giving back part of Monday's rebound from a one-year low. Bloomberg tied the move to oil recovering on a Reuters report, citing an unnamed Iranian official, that the US and Iran remain far apart. With midterm voting underway and a 77% market-implied chance of a December Fed hike, the metal's next move depends on both.

Qatari Mediators Take Iran Deal Suggestions to Tehran as Both Sides Review Them on Eve of U.S. Midterms

Since Iranian negotiators left Doha, Qatari mediators traveled to Tehran on Monday evening, Nov. 2, to meet Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, and a source told Breitbart that Washington and Tehran are reviewing the suggestions separately. Brent settled at $104.77, but Iran says there is no deal without an end to the U.S. naval blockade. Voting in the midterms is today, Nov. 3, and Washington has not publicly answered Tehran's terms.

Trump Says He Is Not Weighing Post-Midterm Iran Strikes, as Axios Sources Say Netanyahu Is Pushing for Them

Trump answered "no" on Monday, Nov. 2, when asked if he is considering striking Iran after today's midterms. Two sources told Axios that Netanyahu pressed him in a "tough" Saturday call to resume strikes immediately. With Qatari-mediated talks running and Trump still describing Pickaxe Mountain as a target, the eighth month of the war has no settled direction.

US Officials Say Qeshm Island Strikes Were Defensive Response to Iranian Fire at American Aircraft

Three U.S. officials confirmed limited strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island on Monday, Nov. 2, saying they answered Iranian fire at a U.S. aircraft. The strikes came a day before the midterms and after Trump had said no new strikes would come before Election Day. Trump says more could follow "in one hour," while Vance says a deal is still possible.

US Officials Tell WSJ Washington Has Carried Out Unannounced Limited Strikes on Iran, Including Qeshm Island on Monday

US officials told the Wall Street Journal that American forces hit Iran's Qeshm Island today, Nov. 2, as part of a string of small strikes kept secret for weeks. Trump said hours earlier that there has been no fighting 'for months.' CENTCOM has not confirmed the strike, and the midterms are Tuesday.

Oil Settles More Than 7% Lower as Trump and Iran Signal Openness to a Deal Before Midterms

WTI crude closed at $96.46 and Brent at $104.77 on Monday after Trump said Iran wants a deal and Rubio said he prefers diplomacy. The drop follows a 10%-plus October gain built on fear of a post-election strike, and Iran's supreme leader is still ordering forces to prepare for confrontation. Trump has not decided whether to hit Iran again.

China Sends Envoys to Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia as Wang Yi Meets Iranian and Saudi Officials in Beijing

Beijing met Iran's Ali Bagheri Kani and Saudi Arabia's Musaed Al-Aiban today, Nov. 2, hosted Oman's sultan, and announced envoy trips across the Gulf and the Horn of Africa. China is the biggest buyer of Iranian crude and is exposed to the Hormuz disruption. Zhai Jun's Gulf tour is set for early-to-mid November, right after Tuesday's U.S. midterms.

Tug and Two Other Vessels Struck in Gulf and Hormuz on Sunday as Iran Says It Could Reopen Strait Within Two Days

Since the Hormuz attacks of late October, three more incidents were reported Sunday, Nov. 1, including a tanker hit by two projectiles far up the Persian Gulf and a UAE-owned tug reported partially sinking. Iran's Foreign Ministry says it could restore security in the strait within two days if its demands are met, while President Trump alternates between threatening force and giving talks more time.

Brent Falls About 6% to $106 After Iran's President Says Supreme Leader Granted Government Authority on Talks

Since oil began sliding Monday on Qatar-mediated talks, the drop has deepened to roughly 6%, with Brent near $106 and WTI near $97. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei gave the government certain authority on negotiations, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Trump prefers a diplomatic outcome. Washington has not accepted Tehran's terms, and Tuesday's midterms are the next marker.

UANI Says Sanctioned Iranian Tanker Carrying 500,000 Barrels of LPG Slipped US Blockade and Reached China

United Against Nuclear Iran says it filmed the tanker SOGL at a Malaysian anchorage in September after the vessel left the Gulf of Oman on Sept. 1. Treasury sanctioned the ship on Oct. 8. The group says crude is still bottled up, but about nine small tankers have gotten through since July.

CENTCOM Says Iran Blockade Has Denied It $25 Billion in Oil Exports as Trump Says War Ends 'One Way or the Other'

CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper says the U.S. blockade has cost Iran at least $25 billion in oil exports, and Treasury says Iran has loaded no crude since Aug. 25. President Trump said Sunday the war will be put away soon, either by a deal or by ending it, while Iranian negotiators in Qatar weigh a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. has not publicly answered Tehran's conditions, and the midterms are tomorrow.

Brent Drops About 4% to $108.64 as Iranian Negotiators Leave Qatar Talks With Draft Proposal Circulating

Since Brent slipped to $109.75 in early Asian trading Monday, the drop deepened to more than 4%, and U.S. crude fell below $100. An official briefed on the Qatar-mediated talks says Iran's negotiators have left and a draft is circulating. Washington has not accepted Tehran's terms, and U.S. reports point to possible renewed strikes after Tuesday's midterms.

Brent Falls More Than 3% to About $110 as Iran-Qatar Talks Enter Third Day

Brent crude dropped to $109.75 in early Asian trading Monday after Iranian and Qatari officials met for a third straight day. Washington has not answered Tehran's conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Tuesday's midterms are the next test of whether the war premium in oil unwinds or rebuilds.

Pentagon Has Drawn Up Strike Options Using 'Mother of All Bombs' on Iran, US Officials Tell CNN

More than six months into the US air war on Iran, multiple US officials told CNN the military has built new strike plans that include the 21,000-pound MOAB against energy and nuclear targets. Treasury says its economic pressure campaign has choked Iran's oil exports, while Democrats demand answers on a Sept. 1 wedding strike. The open question is whether Trump's public pledge of no new action before the midterms survives to Election Day.

Iran Says It Is Ready for War or Diplomacy as Doha Talks on $6 Billion in Frozen Assets Enter Third Day

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday, Nov. 1, that Tehran is prepared for both defense and diplomacy, while indirect talks in Qatar over more than $6 billion in frozen assets ran into a third day. Trump has said the U.S. still has "one or two" targets to hit, and the U.S. midterm elections are Tuesday, Nov. 3. Trump's earlier pledge not to attack Iran before the midterms expires with the vote.

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