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US President Donald Trump signaled progress on Monday in talks with Iran to avoid a return to war, as Tehran reported \u201cintensive\u201d exchanges while offering to reopen the Strait of Hormuz under strict conditions.<\/strong><\/p>\n The fresh diplomatic signals came ahead of US midterm elections on Tuesday, in which Trump\u2019s Republican Party is pushing to retain control of Congress, faced with voter dissatisfaction over the conflict and the soaring fuel prices it has triggered.<\/p>\n A deal with Tehran \u201ccould happen,\u201d Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.<\/p>\n \u201cIran wants a settlement, as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n But hours later, Washington\u2019s diplomatic overtures were dashed by a report that the United States had attacked Iran, in what the Wall Street Journal said was the latest in a string of limited strikes it secretly carried out against the Islamic republic in recent weeks.<\/p>\n Iranian state media reported five explosions in rapid succession on Qeshm island in the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n The US Central Command did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.<\/p>\n Earlier, oil prices plunged by more than seven percent on Monday on optimism over a possible end to the eight-month-old conflict.<\/p>\n The WSJ report came shortly before polls opened in the midterms, in which Democrats expect to win at least partial control of Congress and impose political constraints on Trump for the first time in two years.<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Monday that indirect talks with Washington were taking place via mediators.<\/p>\n \u201cGiven the sensitivity and gravity of the current situation, consultations and deliberations are very intensive,\u201d Araghchi told state media.<\/p>\n \u201cQatar and Pakistan are playing a very active mediating role in these negotiations.\u201d<\/p>\n Vice President JD Vance said both he and Trump were optimistic about securing an agreement.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve certainly made some progress. We\u2019ll see if we can make some more,\u201d Vance told reporters on Monday.<\/p>\n China also urged a return to diplomacy, while Iran\u2019s security chief discussed the conflict with Russian President Vladimir Putin.<\/p>\n Earlier, the Axios news outlet reported that Vance had sent a letter to Iranian national security chief Mohsen Rezaei about possible new talks, marking the highest-level move in months.<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said the messages received from Washington were \u201can acknowledgement of our victory.\u201d<\/p>\n A senior Iranian official said that Tehran was ready to open the Hormuz strait, an export conduit for the energy-rich Gulf, within two days \u2014 as long as Washington agreed to its list of demands.<\/p>\n In September, Iran proposed a seven-day plan to reopen the strait, with demands including ending the war on all fronts, unfreezing Iranian assets, lifting oil sanctions and ending its counter-blockade of Iranian ports.<\/p>\n \u201cThe possibility of implementing this plan in two days is another indication of Iran\u2019s good-faith approach,\u201d Tehran\u2019s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told reporters at a briefing.<\/p>\n Chinese President Xi Jinping also discussed the war with Oman\u2019s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq in Beijing on Monday \u2014 the first visit to China by the Gulf nation\u2019s head of state since diplomatic ties were established.<\/p>\n \u201cThe two sides called for resolving disputes through political and diplomatic means, urging the United States and Iran to pursue a peaceful path, achieve a ceasefire (and) prevent war entirely,\u201d an Omani statement said.<\/p>\n China held meetings with Iranian and Saudi officials in Beijing on Monday as well.<\/p>\n Beijing supports Tehran in \u201csafeguarding its own sovereignty and security,\u201d Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Ali Bagheri, deputy secretary of Iran\u2019s Supreme National Security Council, according to a Chinese statement.<\/p>\n Bagheri told Wang that \u201cTehran\u2019s stance on defending its national security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity remains unchanged, and that Iran will make no compromises in this regard,\u201d state TV reported.<\/p>\n In an interview with Al Jazeera released on Sunday, Araghchi said Washington must accept a new route agreed between Iran and Oman for transiting the strait.<\/p>\n He said Washington must also remove sanctions imposed recently and reduce American troop numbers in the region.<\/p>\n Trump has kept up his threats against Tehran, saying on Sunday that the United States may have to give Iran \u201cthe hammer\u201d at some unspecified time.<\/p>\n On Saturday, the US leader said he still had to \u201ctake care\u201d of one or two targets including Pickaxe mountain in central Iran, a suspected nuclear site which Tehran denies is such a facility.<\/p>\n Baqaei warned that any act of aggression against Iran \u201cwill be met with a powerful, immediate and comprehensive response.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\u2013 Reopen the strait \u2013<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\u2013 \u2018No compromises\u2019 \u2013<\/strong><\/h2>\n