Qataris look to lower tensions as Trump toys with ‘strikes’
• US president rules out ‘weekend attacks’ on Iran; says he is torn between ‘making a deal’ or ‘finishing them off’
• Araghchi says engagement with Washington continues through mediators; warns ‘new war’ won’t change Iran’s policies
• Ghalibaf calls for ‘judicious’ gas use during winter months
TEHRAN: Qatari mediators arrived in Iran on Sunday as part of a US-coordinated effort to de-escalate regional tensions.
The Qatari delegation’s visit comes as US and Israeli threats of renewed attacks on Iran mount, months after an April ceasefire halted the most intense phase of the war.
Meanwhile, President Trump ruled out any strikes against Iran on Sunday, but kept the prospect of renewed military action open.
Asked whether US strikes could resume as soon as Sunday, Trump initially replied, “Would I tell you that?” before adding: “The answer is no, there will not be a strike today”.
On the other hand, in an interview on Fox News, he said he was deciding between reaching an agreement with Tehran and taking action to “finish them off”.
“Now, my question is, do I make a deal with them, or do I finish them off?” Trump said.
His remarks followed a suggestion on Friday that Washington “may do another little Epic Fury”, a reference to the US-Israeli campaign against Iran that began on Feb 28.
In the same interview, Trump claimed the US now controls the Strait of Hormuz.
Separately, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned on Sunday that a resumption of war with Israel and the United States would not change his country’s position.
“Recently, there has been talk of a new war, but I am already thinking about the post-war period. Whether there is war or not, our policies remain the same,” he said during a televised event in Tehran.
“They have already done so twice and have seen the results. If they want to try again, they know they will achieve no different outcome from those of the past,” he added.
The April 8 ceasefire between Iran and the United States ended the most intense fighting, though sporadic exchanges of fire continued in and around the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy supplies. These flare-ups have eased in recent weeks.
Iran has claimed control over the strait since the outbreak of the war and has regularly targeted vessels attempting to cross without its authorisation, moves strongly opposed by Washington and countries in the region. In response, the United States has maintained a naval counter-blockade on Iranian ports.
In June, Iran and the United States agreed to a Pakistan-brokered memorandum of understanding setting out a pathway to a permanent settlement, but the deal later unravelled as each side accused the other of violating it. Tehran has since called for a return to the accord.
“Speaking to Iraqi media, FM Araghchi stated that negotiations with the United States, conducted via mediators such as Pakistan and Qatar, remain ongoing without interruption,” the IRNA news agency quoted him as saying.
Araghchi said the conflict had permanently altered the region. “The current war has changed everything. We must accept that new realities are taking hold. Shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz will no longer be the same, and the management of the strait will no longer be the same,” he said.
“To achieve peace and stability, our region must move towards the complete absence of foreign forces,” he added.
Meanwhile, Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf called for a nationwide campaign to cut gas consumption by at least 10 percent, as officials anticipate shortages with winter approaching.
“To get through the approaching winter, a nationwide effort is essential … to reduce gas consumption by at least 10 per cent,” Ghalibaf said in a video carried by Iranian media.
Drone strike on Kurdish group
Separately, Iran’s armed forces attacked bases belonging to an Iranian Kurdish opposition group in Iraq’s Kurdistan region using drones, Iranian media reported.
“As part of a drone operation carried out by the Revolutionary Guards’ ground forces, the headquarters of the terrorist and separatist group Komala, located in the Balisan region, was targeted last night,” the Mehr news agency said.
Meanwhile, Israeli PM Netanyahu warned that Iran and its allies might try to disrupt Israel’s elections on Tuesday.
“We have intelligence signs that our enemies, Iran and its proxies, could challenge us with attacks in order to disrupt the elections,” he said in a video on Sunday. “Don’t test us. You will suffer disproportionate blows,” he added, saying the military was ready for both defensive and offensive operations.
Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2026
