Qatari mediators spent more than 12 hours in Tehran on Friday, locked in talks with Iranian officials. Their mission? To prevent any fresh wave of American-led military actions against Iran that could follow after the U. S. midterm elections.
These conversations aren't stopping in Tehran. They're set to pick up again in Doha on Saturday, as per reports. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made it clear that direct meetings with U. S. officials aren't on the agenda. Instead, an Iranian delegation is in Qatar, ready to work with the mediators. Araghchi shot down media chatter about direct U. S.-Iran talks as baseless.
Back in June, on the 17th, a preliminary agreement was inked to put a lid on hostilities that flared up with U. S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets on February 28. But that agreement fell apart in a matter of weeks. Fast forward to Tuesday, U. S. President Donald Trump stood firm on his belief that the conflict with Iran could wrap up quickly. Yet, he stressed the importance of a thorough solution to ensure Iran never gets its hands on nuclear weapons.
The last known U. S. strikes on Iranian targets took place on September 1. Trump has hinted that military actions might pick up again after the November 3 midterm elections. Tehran isn't taking this lying down. They've signaled they're ready to hit back if the U. S. takes aggressive steps. On Saturday, a statement on Iranian Supreme Leader's Telegram account issued a stern warning: any threat will be met with a swift and unrestricted response.
In the midst of these tensions, word got out about U. S. forces allegedly attacking two fishing boats near Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. This report was passed on from an official in Iran's Hormozgan province but hasn't been independently verified. The U. S. Central Command has kept mum on the issue.
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil movement, has been a hotspot for incidents lately. On Friday, an oil tanker reportedly got hit by an unknown projectile while leaving the strait. Iran also reported that four tankers struck mines in the region, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps saying three of these ships caught fire near the Omani coast. A fourth tanker was said to have burned east of the strait.
Meanwhile, a separate situation unfolded as Yemen's Houthis claimed responsibility for missile strikes on Saudi Arabia, cranking up regional tensions. All these incidents have played a part in driving up oil prices, which jumped more than 2% on Friday. Brent crude futures for December, which expired on Friday, ended at $117.64 a barrel, the highest they've been since April. The more actively traded January contract also climbed, closing at $113.43.
