Iran weighs US response as Trump rules out attack before midterms

Iran is evaluating the United States' response to a proposal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The statement from Tehran came as U.S. President Donald Trump ruled out any attack on Iran before the November midterm elections, stating that "talks with Tehran are productive." However, Araghchi emphasized that the diplomatic process is ongoing.

Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is reportedly making progress in negotiations with Iran, though the President himself expressed that he does not favor an agreement. Witkoff has been praised by Trump as a "great negotiator" who has achieved significant results, including the Gaza ceasefire deal. The President also claimed that Iran will never possess a nuclear weapon and asserted that the war with Iran is nearing its end.

Despite the ongoing talks, Iran has stated it will not abandon uranium enrichment or surrender its uranium stockpile, according to a report by state media citing Mohammad Eslami, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation. Eslami dismissed renewed U.S. threats against Iran's nuclear facilities as "nothing new" and emphasized that enrichment is an integral part of the nuclear process.

In aviation news, the first commercial flight operated by a foreign airline to reach Iran since the Middle East conflict began touched down in the country on Thursday. The waiver granted by the United States allows Iraqi national carrier's pilgrims to travel between Iran and Najaf, and enables other Iranian airlines to operate daily flights on the route, excluding Mahan Air.

At sea, Maj Gen Ahmad Vahidi, the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), warned that military forces are prepared to respond decisively to any unauthorized passage in the Strait of Hormuz. However, U.S. Central Command rejected Iran's claim that the waterway is closed. Shipping data from Kpler showed a significant drop in the number of vessels transiting the strait, from over 10 million barrels a day to just 10.1 million barrels per day, although exports from the Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea kept overall Middle East crude exports at pre-war levels.