Iran's Pezeshkian says negotiation with US 'has no meaning'

Iran's ‌President ​Masoud ⁠Pezeshkian said on Monday that negotiations with the ⁠United States ​were meaningless during a ‌meeting ⁠with Armenian ⁠Foreign ​Minister ‌Ararat Mirzoyan in Tehran, according to Reuters.

"Negotiating with an enemy that assassinates, sanctions, pressures, and threatens every day, and breaks its promises, makes no sense, and our nation will not accept such an approach either," Pezeshkian was quoted as saying by Fars News Agency.

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🔴 پزشکیان: با دشمنی که هر روز ترور، تحریم، فشار و تهدید می‌کند و پیمان‌شکن است، مذاکره معنا ندارد و ملت ما نیز چنین رویکردی را نمی‌پذیرد.

— خبرگزاری فارس (@FarsNews_Agency) October 5, 2026

US intends to 'live by' security pact with Saudi Arabia: Rubio

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that the US intended to uphold its bilateral security commitments with Saudi Arabia amid renewed military confrontations involving Houthi forces in Yemen.

"The United States has a defence and security agreement with Saudi Arabia, and we intend to live by it," Rubio told reporters ahead of a European tour including Iceland, Greece, and Portugal, declining to elaborate on operational specifics.

Rubio said that in the face of continuous Houthi attacks, Riyadh had "a right to defend themselves," adding that Yemeni allied forces were trying to recover areas lost during previous clashes.

🔴 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Saudi Arabia has the right to defend itself against Houthi attacks

🔴 The US will honor security commitments to Saudi Arabia, Rubio says pic.twitter.com/s6oHEC9fyp

— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) October 5, 2026

Addressing control around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Rubio said Saudi and Yemeni troops opposed Houthi domination near the maritime corridor, describing local counter-offensives as an expected development.

The remarks follow Monday’s announcement by Rashad al-Alimi, the chair of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council, of the launch of a military operation to retake the capital Sanaa with the support of the country’s “brothers and friends” and restore state institutions from the Houthis, who have controlled the city since 2014. Yemeni army units reported securing the Dhubab district and strategic positions along the strait.

Washington has so far rejected direct participation in kinetic strikes in support of the campaign, preferring instead to provide intelligence and advisory assistance to Saudi Arabia.

US approves $1 billion arms sale to UAE

The United States on Monday announced the approval of a $1 billion sale to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of up to 10,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System guidance sections for rockets.

"The proposed sale will improve the United Arab Emirates' capability to meet current and future threats by developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defence capability and improving interoperability with US forces," the US State Department said in a statement.

It "will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major defence partner," the statement added.

@StateDept has authorized a Foreign Military Sale to the Government of the United Arab Emirates for the purchase of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System-II Guidance Sections at an estimated sale price of $1.041 billion. - https://t.co/spUwYaJjfx

— Political-Military Affairs, US Dept of State (@StateDeptPM) October 5, 2026

The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System converts unguided rockets into precision munitions that can be employed for purposes including shooting down drones, thereby avoiding the use of costly missiles to shoot down comparatively cheap aircraft.

The UAE and other US-allied Gulf countries have been hard hit by the Iran war, during which Tehran's forces have repeatedly targeted them with both drones and missiles.

The State Department also announced on Monday the approval of a $400 million sale to Kuwait -- another Gulf state -- of "repair and return services" for Patriot missiles, which have played a key role in countering Iranian attacks in the region.

"Kuwait will use the enhanced capability to strengthen its homeland defence" and "will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces," the department said in a statement.

Pezeshkian nominates Mehrdad Akhlaqi as Iran's new defence minister

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian nominated Mehrdad Akhlaqi as the country’s new defence minister, formally submitting his name to Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf in a letter, Tehran Times reported on Monday.

According to Tehran Times, Akhlaqi is a senior official at Iran’s Ministry of Defence and had previously served as the chief executive of the Aerospace Industries Organisation.

Defense Minister Nominee Introduced

🔻The president has formally nominated Mehrdad Akhlaqi for the position of Minister of Defense in a letter to Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament.

🔸Akhlaqi is a senior official at the Ministry of Defense and has… pic.twitter.com/WEhPnjPrwi

— Tehran Times (@TehranTimes79) October 5, 2026

Iran threatens to target US bases, warships if Washington launches ground invasion

Iran would target all US military bases and American vessels if Washington launches a ground invasion of the country, a senior commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned.

Ali Fadavi, head of the advisory group to the IRGC commander-in-chief, made the remarks a day earlier while appearing on an Iranian state television program.

“If the Americans launch a ground attack, then we will target every location related to the Americans, American bases and every vessel related to the Americans,” he said.

Fadavi argued that the US understands military force, saying Americans “understand missiles hitting their warships” and “missiles hitting their bases.”

He also said Iran’s production of military equipment exceeds the rate at which it is being used, claiming the country’s current capabilities have increased significantly compared with the previous two wars.

Turning to the Strait of Hormuz, Fadavi said Iran and Oman should draw up and enforce rules governing the strategic waterway, adding that such rules have already been prepared and are being implemented.

He also warned that American vessels would be vulnerable to Iranian attacks if Washington deployed them to the region.

Read: US threats are an impediment to deal-making: Iranian FM

“The Americans can only create tensions through the air, and certainly an increase in tensions will be to the detriment of the Americans,” he said.

Fadavi also said Iran had “in no way attacked a Muslim country,” arguing that Tehran had instead targeted US military bases located in those countries.

His remarks come amid increased US military activity in the region and heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.

The US has recently moved additional naval and military assets toward the Middle East, including carrier and amphibious forces, while strengthening air and missile defences at bases and facilities in the region.

Read more: US to respond to Iranian attacks on forces in Middle East: Trump

The deployments come amid continuing military confrontation between Washington and Tehran, with Iran repeatedly warning that US bases and naval assets across the region could be targeted in response to attacks on Iranian territory.

Any further enemy mistake will draw a crushing response: Iranian general

 

Iran’s Army Commander-in-Chief General Amir Hatami said that despite the casualties of war, its outcome brought honour and pride to the country rather than surrender, according to Press TV.

1/2 General Amir Hatami: Any further enemy mistake will draw a crushing response

Iran’s Army Commander-in-Chief General Amir Hatami said that despite the casualties of war, its outcome brought honor and pride to the country rather than surrender.

Follow: https://t.co/oa9JV4iSOo pic.twitter.com/2YDEboIfMj

— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) October 5, 2026

He said that the enemy, after failing on the military front, had turned to sanctions and economic pressure while pursuing measures aimed at creating insecurity and unrest.

Iran will continue documenting war crimes, pursuing international legal action: Deputy FM

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, emphasised the need to continue documenting crimes and damages resulting from military aggression by the United States and Israel and reporting them to international organisations, according to IRNA.

Iran to continue documenting war crimes, pursuing international legal action: @Gharibabadi https://t.co/u5XKVVnCBU pic.twitter.com/X2x8ROvsUb

— IRNA News Agency ☫ (@IrnaEnglish) October 5, 2026

Gharibabadi made the remarks in Tehran on Sunday in a meeting on government agencies’ interaction with regional and international organisations.

He spoke on the importance of participating in international organisations, saying they can use their capacities effectively through planning.

Gharibabadi said government bodies should prepare annual plans for cooperation with international organisations of which they are members. They should review their cooperation and assess whether to continue participating.

The deputy foreign minister said the Foreign Ministry would support and guide government agencies in their dealings with international organisations.

Iran’s oil minister resigns, president appoints replacement

Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, Iran’s state-run Tasnim news agency reported Sunday, citing a presidential official.

Mehdi Tabatabaei, deputy head of communications at the Iranian president’s office, said President Masoud Pezeshkian has accepted Paknejad’s resignation.

Hamid Bovard has been appointed acting oil minister to oversee the ministry’s affairs, Tabatabaei added.

No reason was given for Paknejad’s resignation, which came amid unprecedented US sanctions on Iran, particularly targeting its oil sector.

Bovard previously served as the head of the state-run National Iranian Oil Company and has spent most of his career working in oilfield operations.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Saturday that Iran has no oil shipments remaining at sea and will generate zero oil revenue this week.

On August 25, the US Treasury Department announced the launch of Operation Economic Outcast, a broad campaign aimed at completely isolating Iran from the global financial system.

The US and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28. Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks across the region and effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic route for energy supplies. The US military later imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports.

Efforts to end the war have continued since a June framework deal, which seeks to pave the way for a final peace agreement covering navigation through the strategic waterway and Iran’s nuclear program.

Tanker reports multiple explosions near vessel off Yemen: UK maritime agency

A tanker reported multiple explosions near the vessel off Yemen's coast on Sunday, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

In a warning, UKMTO said the incident occurred 60 nautical miles south of the port city of Mokha.

UKMTO WARNING 151-26

Click here to view the full product.https://t.co/MonDRJHmN4#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/5U9KaNsnc2

— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) October 4, 2026

The tanker's company security officer reported seeing multiple explosions in close proximity to the vessel, the agency said.

“The crew are reported as safe and no environmental impact has been reported,” it added.

Authorities are investigating the incident, UKMTO said, advising vessels transiting the area to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity.

The warning did not identify the tanker or indicate what caused the explosions.