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Iran says it remains far from a deal with US

Published

A senior Iranian official said Iran wants oil sanctions waived, the US naval blockade ended and frozen funds released before the Strait of Hormuz reopens. Qatar, the mediator, is stepping up efforts to bridge the gap.

A US official said American forces carried out defensive strikes on Iran's Oeshm island overnight. The official said the strikes hit surface-to-air missiles used against US assets. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they downed one US MQ-9 drone and two Lucas drones near the Strait of Hormuz.

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said the US response to Iran's demands was not convincing. He wrote on X that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen only if Iran's seven conditions were met. The senior official said Tehran would not accept excessive US demands, and that nuclear talks could start only after Iran's conditions were met. Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Iran will not submit.

Majed al-Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar's foreign ministry, said intensive joint regional efforts were under way to avoid escalation. He said that as a mediator, Qatar cannot lose hope. A draft deal was discussed over eight days, and feedback from Washington and Tehran on the mediators' proposals was expected within 36 hours.

US President Donald Trump told Fox News Channel on Tuesday that he did not want to kill many people, but would if he had to. Kayhan newspaper said US facilities in Britain, Italy, Greece, Romania, Albania and Cyprus could be targeted if war resumed.

Key facts

Who
Donald Trump (US President); Mohsen Rezaei (secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council); Majed al-Ansari (Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson); Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf (Iranian parliament speaker)
What
A senior Iranian official said Iran and the US are still far from a deal to end their war, with Iran demanding waiving of oil sanctions, ending the US naval blockade and release of frozen funds before Hormuz reopens. Overnight the US carried out "defensive" strikes on Iran's Oeshm island, according to a US official, and Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they downed a US MQ-9 drone and two Lucas…
When
3 November 2026
Where
Iran, United States, Qatar
Status
Reported

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