Qatari mediators in Tehran in US-coordinated effort to ease regional tensions

Qatari mediators were in Tehran on Sunday as part of an effort to de-escalate regional tensions in coordination with the United States, an official briefed on the situation told Reuters.

The reported continuation of diplomatic efforts comes as US President Donald Trump raised the prospect of renewed military action against Iran, saying the United States could launch another operation under the military’s campaign name, “Epic Fury”.

“We may do another little Epic Fury,” Trump said at a campaign rally in Fort Myers, Florida, as he campaigned ahead of next week’s US midterm elections.

According to Reuters, Washington could carry out another military operation against Iran, raising the prospect of renewed strikes as the conflict approached its eighth month and diplomatic efforts to end the war remained stalled.

Trump did not provide details about the timing, scale or possible targets of any further operation.

The remarks came as rising fuel prices added to political pressure on Trump ahead of the elections. The conflict has disrupted global energy markets and contributed to higher fuel prices in the United States.

Trump had previously said the United States would not attack Iran before the midterm elections.

Pezeshkian blames US for failure of interim deal

Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday blamed the United States for the failure to reach an interim agreement with Iran but said efforts to conclude a deal should resume.

“We were having negotiations, the cowards (Americans) messed everything up… I still think we should go and conclude it,” Pezeshkian said.

Iran vows to bar US military ships from Gulf

Iran said on Saturday that US military ships would never be allowed to enter the Persian Gulf, amid mounting threats of renewed attacks by the United States and Israel.

Iran’s armed forces chief of staff Ali Abdollahi said Tehran would not permit US military vessels to enter the Gulf under any circumstances, according to Iranian state television.

“We will not allow US military ships in the Persian Gulf under any circumstances and at any time,” Abdollahi said.

“The US president must dream of seeing the armed forces enter the Persian Gulf. He will take that dream to his grave.”

The remarks came as US Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack warned that Washington could “absolutely” strike Iran as soon as the weekend.

Iranian forces have restricted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies and a gateway to the Gulf, since the war with the United States began on February 28.

In response, the United States imposed a counterblockade on Iranian ports and ships.

Tehran has required vessels to seek permission to transit the strait and has repeatedly targeted ships attempting to pass through Hormuz along a southern route near the Omani coast.

In a statement carried by its Sepah News website, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said the engine rooms of targeted vessels had been disabled by an explosion and a fierce fire.