Trump Says New Iran Strikes 'Highly Unlikely' if Talks Progress as Brent Slides Toward $97

"It depends on whether or not they sign a very strong agreement," Trump told CNN in a phone interview. "The answer is, highly unlikely it's going to be necessary." He also said that if strikes did resume, the US had already picked infrastructure targets, including 38 bridges "that we can knock down in literally one hour."

The remarks pull back from hints Trump gave before last week's US midterm elections that major attacks could resume once the vote was over. So far there has been no sign of a large-scale US operation. Oil prices had already started to factor in a diplomatic outcome. Brent crude fell toward $97 a barrel on Monday and West Texas Intermediate toward $90, adding to a drop of more than 13% last week on hopes of a US-Iran breakthrough, Gulf News reported. Abu Dhabi's Murban grade went the other way, rising 3.42%, or $3.28, to $99.17 a barrel.

Tehran's message was harder. Iran's foreign minister told Washington to accept Tehran's proposal to end hostilities on all fronts or face retaliation that would "rain down hell", and said no negotiations had taken place since the "shock" of the midterms. Israel's defence minister said Israel's mission against Iran was "not complete."

Qatar, which is mediating, on Saturday denied reports that the US and Iran had failed to reach a deal and said its prime minister had confirmed that both sides were still working toward an agreement. A senior Iranian official told Reuters last week that Iran had sent a nuclear proposal to Washington through Qatar. The official said talks depended on the US first meeting seven Iranian demands, including sanctions relief, access to frozen assets and war reparations. Washington wants nuclear issues included in the first round of talks.

Ships Hit on Both Sides of the Strait

Attacks on shipping continued over the weekend. Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said two oil tankers caught fire after hitting mines while using what it called an "unauthorized route" through the Strait of Hormuz, and the semi-official Fars news agency later reported an explosion and fire on a third tanker. None of these reports has been independently verified.

US Central Command said an American military aircraft fired precision munitions at the stern of the M/V Huda, a cargo ship flagged in Saint Kitts and Nevis, disabling it in the Gulf of Oman. CENTCOM said the ship had called at an Iranian port and was trying to leave regional waters after its crew ignored repeated warnings. The command said that since July its blockade operations had redirected 147 commercial vessels and disabled five merchant ships that refused instructions, and that US forces had destroyed 10 Iranian commercial oil tankers it says belong to a Revolutionary Guards "shadow" network.

Closer to UAE shores, the UAE National Guard said it rescued all 22 crew from a burning vessel. The UK Maritime Trade Operations centre had received a report of an incident involving a bulk carrier about 18 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan. It is not clear whether that ship was the Huda.

The conflict has also spread south. Saudi Arabia's energy ministry said falling debris from an attempted Houthi attack damaged an administrative building belonging to Saudi Aramco in Riyadh, with no injuries.

Flights Still Cut on Saudi Routes

UAE carriers continue to cancel flights to Saudi Arabia. Etihad has cancelled all Abu Dhabi flights to Riyadh and Dammam until November 19, according to Gulf News, while flydubai has suspended Riyadh and Abha through November 16 and plans to resume Dammam on November 10. Some foreign airlines are returning to the UAE: British Airways resumed Dubai flights on November 3, and Lufthansa, SWISS and Eurowings are scheduled to return on November 25. Others are staying away longer. Singapore Airlines has suspended its Dubai flights through February 28, 2027, and Cathay Pacific through January 31, 2027.

The UAE has not introduced any new nationwide restrictions. The next test for oil and freight markets is whether Washington accepts Iran's proposal sent through Qatar as a basis for formal talks.