According to the report, a US official said Trump might consider a bold move if he felt politically weakened or embarrassed by the election outcome. The official added that this message was being conveyed to Iranian officials, who were being told that the current period offered their best opportunity to reach an agreement.
A White House official disputed that assessment, telling Axios that the midterm results would not factor into Trump’s decisions on Iran.
Qatar Pushes to Restart US-Iran Negotiations
The report said Qatari mediators spent more than 12 hours in Tehran on Friday, maintaining regular contact with the White House as they worked to revive direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran.
A diplomatic source described the discussions as showing “positive progress”, with further talks scheduled to continue in Doha on Saturday.
Negotiations remain stalled over competing demands. Washington wants Iran to make concessions on its nuclear programme before returning to the negotiating table. Tehran, meanwhile, wants the United States to lift its naval blockade, release frozen Iranian funds and allow oil exports to resume.
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Qatar is also urging Iran to permit United Nations inspectors to access nuclear sites damaged in bombing attacks, reportedly in exchange for limited sanctions relief.
Divisions Within Trump’s Team Over Iran Policy
The Axios report highlighted differing positions within the Trump administration over the future of negotiations.
It said Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio remained sceptical about reaching an agreement and favoured further weakening Iran’s leadership.
Vice President JD Vance and US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, however, supported resuming diplomatic talks.
The differences come amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, particularly over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for international energy shipments.
Iranian Foreign Minister Warns Against Further Escalation
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to remarks by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, saying that “red lines” were “a thing of the past”.
Araghchi warned that Iran’s armed forces would respond forcefully to any attack on the country. He also described the reported €100 billion economic cost of the conflict to Europe as insignificant compared with the damage Iran could inflict on those threatening its people.
According to Clash Report, Merz said Europe had an economic interest in ending the conflict quickly, arguing that higher energy prices caused by the war had contributed to the additional costs facing the continent.
Araghchi also criticised Merz for supporting US-Israeli bombing operations against Iran, accusing him of saying the attacks were “doing Europe’s dirty work”.
Tanker Reports Raise Security Concerns in Strait of Hormuz
Maritime incidents in the Strait of Hormuz added to concerns about the security of commercial shipping.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported that a crude oil tanker had been struck by an unidentified projectile while completing an outbound transit through the strait.
The agency said it received the information from a verified source but did not identify the vessel, disclose the precise location of the incident or provide details about the crew’s condition. Authorities were investigating, and UKMTO advised vessels to exercise caution and report suspicious activity.
In a separate statement, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said a fourth oil tanker had struck a mine and caught fire while attempting to use what it described as an unauthorised route through the waterway.
The IRGC claimed the supertanker was carrying more than two million barrels of crude oil and had ignored repeated radio warnings against using the southern passage. It said a mine explosion caused the vessel to catch fire.
These claims were attributed to the IRGC and were not independently established in the supplied report.
Oman Evacuates Injured Crew Member
Oman also announced the medical evacuation of an injured crew member from an Indian boat targeted in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Directorate of Moral Guidance said the Royal Air Force of Oman coordinated with relevant authorities to evacuate the injured person from Khasab Hospital in Musandam to Khawla Hospital in Muscat for specialised treatment.
Earlier, the Royal Navy of Oman said it had evacuated 25 crew members from a commercial vessel that caught fire after an attack approximately 1.6 nautical miles off the coast of Musandam.
The developments underline the growing security risks facing commercial shipping as diplomatic efforts continue to ease tensions between Iran and the United States.
