Overview
- President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States will not attack Iran before the November 3 midterm elections and described talks with Tehran as "productive," a statement that temporarily eased market fears of an immediate strike.
- U.S. and Iranian officials say indirect negotiations continue and Tehran is reviewing Washington’s response to a proposal it says could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within days.
- The Pentagon and CENTCOM have prepared operational options for possible strikes in recent days even though no strike was ordered, and U.S. forces say they are enforcing a blockade that has halted Iranian exports while escorting large volumes of non‑Iranian Gulf oil.
- The Treasury announced new sanctions targeting individuals, networks and 17 vessels accused of carrying Iranian oil, and Hurricane Isaias forced roughly 1.3 million barrels per day of Gulf of Mexico output offline, together keeping oil prices volatile.
- Iran’s atomic energy chief reiterated that uranium enrichment and current stockpiles are non‑negotiable, and unverified Iranian reports of explosions in the southern Strait of Hormuz remain developing risks to shipping and global supply.