Trump links Iran strike to talks

US President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that a new offensive against Iran is unlikely if negotiations yield a strong agreement. Speaking to CNN, he tied the decision to strike directly to progress in talks regarding the Iranian nuclear program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump described Iran as a failing nation and said he would order an attack only if necessary. He noted that sustained US military pressure is causing Iran to wither away financially.

The president outlined the current military posture in the region. Three aircraft carriers are positioned nearby and described as fully locked and loaded. Trump claimed Iran retains only about 10 percent of its missile capacity and 15 percent of its drone capabilities due to destroyed factory infrastructure. He stated that if strikes resume, the United States has identified 38 bridges it could destroy in one hour. Trump expressed reluctance to destroy such infrastructure, noting that rebuilding a bridge takes years.

Diplomatic efforts have stalled since the recent US midterm elections. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told state television on Sunday that mediators have not traveled since the shock of those results. He said it will take time for Washington to digest the election outcomes before conditions favor renewed diplomatic movement. Araghchi urged patience but warned in a post on X that if the White House does not accept Iran's demands, it must choose war.

Iran has proposed a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days. The demands include ending the war on all fronts, unfreezing Iranian assets, lifting oil sanctions, and halting the US counterblockade of Iranian ports. Regional powers such as Qatar and Pakistan have tried for months to secure a definitive end to the war that began in late February. Outright fighting has largely subsided, but the blockade remains in place.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein announced that Baghdad reached understandings with the United States to allow Iraqi oil exports through a shipping lane near Oman. Hussein told Al Jazeera that Iraq's losses from the war and export disruptions reached $60 billion. Iraqi energy officials reported that crude exports recovered to about 3.5 million barrels per day in October, up from 2.65 million in September.

Tensions remain high in the waterway itself. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported that three noncompliant oil tankers exploded and caught fire early Sunday while sailing in what it called an illegal channel. Iranian media suggested that explosions heard Saturday on Qeshm Island were linked to Iranian military activity rather than US strikes. State television noted that officials had not confirmed missile strikes on Iranian territory, while both sides continue attacks on shipping that restrict global energy supplies.