Despite frantic efforts, Iran, US still far apart on deal

Qatar optimistic, pushes mediation

DUBAI:

Iran and the United States are still far from a deal to end their war, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday, while mediator Qatar stepped up efforts to bridge differences and avert a renewed escalation after the US midterm elections.

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.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday renewed threats of possible military action, telling Fox News Channel: "I'm not looking to ... kill lots of people. If we have to, we'll have to." Qatar has intensified mediation efforts amid fears 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.

'WE CANNOT LOSE HOPE'

On Monday, Trump raised doubts about whether he would follow through on a threatened resumption of military strikes against Iran and said a deal with Tehran could happen.

Qatar's foreign ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said both the United States and Iran were reviewing proposals put forward by mediators. While the Qatari team that travelled to Tehran had returned to Doha, talks were continuing.

"There are intensive joint regional efforts underway to avoid escalation," he told a news briefing, adding that Qatar remained hopeful a deal could still be reached to pave the way for future negotiations.

"If there were no glimmer of hope, there would be no negotiations.. and as a mediator, we cannot lose hope," he said. An official briefed on the talks said feedback from Washington and Tehran was expected within the next 36 hours.

A senior Iranian official told Reuters later on Tuesday that there is no deadline for exchanging messages with Washington through mediators or reviewing responses.

The Houthis on Tuesday claimed to have struck an airport and an airbase in Saudi Arabia's Abha and Khamis Mushait areas.

In a post on X, Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree claimed that the group had "carried out two military operations", further adding that the "first operation targeted Abha International Airport with a drone, and the strike was precise, leading to the disruption of air traffic at the airport".