Iran on Saturday awaited a U.S. response to its proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end fighting in the Middle East war after the Wall Street Journal reported that President Donald Trump had rejected the deal.
Iran raised the diplomatic initiative at the UN General Assembly in New York, saying it had been transmitted to the Americans via Qatari mediators and could reopen the strategic waterway and put an end to hostilities in the region within seven days.
But Trump is privately sceptical that Iran would meet his demands and has told his staff that he sees a renewed bombing campaign as likely after the November U.S. midterm elections, the Journal reported.
Earlier, a U.S. official had said discussions with Iran through mediators were “positive and constructive”.
The Iranians also engaged their Saudi rivals regarding the strait, underscoring the stakes of a seven-month-old conflict that has disrupted oil flows through one of the world's most critical shipping lanes and taken a toll on the global economy.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters at the United Nations on Friday the proposed deal would trigger a seven-day countdown to reopening the strait and a pause in regional fighting.
“If there is seriousness on the U.S. side to come to a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, everything is now prepared,” Aragchi said. If the U.S. were to agree, the warring parties could start wider talks “on mutually agreed subjects”, he said.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in an interview with the CBS show “Face the Nation”, said Tehran was ready for talks on its nuclear programme and other issues, but would not accept “bullying or coercion”.
“Iran is not seeking war, but will defend itself against pressure, threats and attacks,” Pezeshkian said, adding that it had already agreed that “we're not supposed to develop nuclear weapons”.
Iran and its allies have retaliated by extending the conflict throughout the region. Iran, which controls the strait along with Oman, has struck U.S. allies in the Gulf with drones and missiles while its Houthi allies in Yemen have targeted Saudi interests.
Iranian-aligned militias in Iraq were blamed for a pipeline attack that temporarily took more Saudi oil off the market. All the while, Iranian-backed Hezbollah has been engaged with Israeli forces in Lebanon.
Araghchi briefed his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan on the understanding between Iran and Oman regarding safe shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's foreign ministry said early Saturday.
The war's widening toll has also united Saudi Arabia's allies to shore up the kingdom's defences.
The Saudi-backed, internationally recognised Yemeni government has come under assault from Iran-linked Houthi fighters, with Houthi missiles striking inside the kingdom.
Yemen's Saudi-led coalition said early Saturday it intercepted two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis towards Khamis Mushait and two drones headed towards the capital Riyadh.
The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen and much of the north, have launched attacks against Saudi Arabia since declaring a naval blockade against Riyadh in July, with strikes targeting Saudi vessels in the Red Sea.
Defence officials of Türkiye and Pakistan, both partners in a joint defence pact with Saudi Arabia, met in Riyadh on Friday to review the security situation and discuss intelligence cooperation, military coordination and integrating forces, the Saudi defence ministry said in a statement.
The violence in Yemen has prompted a new humanitarian crisis, the United Nations children's agency said on Friday, reporting a rise in acute malnutrition among children.
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Democrat wins surged on Tuesday across the United States with stunning victories in the South Carolina, Texas and Ohio senate races -- traditionally Republican strongholds -- in the 3 November midterm elections.
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Democrats captured majorities in both chambers of Congress on Tuesday, scoring sweeping victories that reached into Republican strongholds, with millions of voters delivering a strong rebuke to President Donald Trump.
Iran and the United States remains far from a deal to end the conflict as tensions rise over the Strait of Hormuz. Following Republican losses in U.S. midterm elections, Tehran says Americans have rejected the war, while Qatar intensifies mediation efforts to prevent renewed escalation.
A fresh wave of hoax bomb threats disrupted air travel across Europe on Thursday, prompting flight diversions, additional security checks and emergency procedures at several airports.
Kyrgyzstan has become the first Central Asian country to join a new UN rail freight convention designed to cut transport costs, speed up cross-border shipments and strengthen trade links between Europe and Asia.
Saudi Arabia has given Pakistan more time to repay a $3 billion loan. Pakistan's Finance Minister, Muhammad Aurangzeb, announced the extension on Wednesday (4 November).
Saudi Arabia and Syria have signed a defence cooperation deal as the Gulf kingdom continues to face missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
Samvel Karapetyan, leader of Armenia’s main opposition party, has been remanded in custody for one month on embezzlement and money laundering charges linked to Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA), a utility company at the centre of a dispute with the government.
Kyrgyzstan could become the first country in the world to ban energy drinks. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has instructed ministers to examine the possibility of prohibiting the production and import of the beverages, citing health concerns, state news agency Kabar has reported.
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