Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, warned on Tuesday that a renewed war would serve “no one,” hours after United States strikes were reported on Qeshm Island in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. His appeal for calm came as Americans prepared to vote in midterm elections shaped by anger over a war that has unsettled global markets, according to Arab News.
The reported strikes, described by The Wall Street Journal, CNN and The New York Times, hit Qeshm Island, a sensitive flashpoint along the Hormuz waterway. Unnamed American officials called the attacks defensive, while US Central Command did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Iran’s state news agency, IRNA, reported five rapid explosions and said residents saw two aircraft overhead.
Tehran’s response carried both defiance and restraint. Its chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, declared that Iran stood “ready for battle with its finger on the trigger,” insisting that the burden now lay with Washington to prevent war. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Iran retained its right to legitimate self-defence.
Yet Pezeshkian struck a softer note. He said his government was still pursuing a settlement “through dialogue” and stressed that no one would gain if fighting reignited. He also revealed that Iran’s supreme leader had granted the government authority to negotiate issues once considered off limits; a signal that Tehran may be seeking room for compromise.
The strikes arrived only hours after President Donald Trump suggested that an agreement with Iran “could happen.” In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: “Iran wants a settlement, as soon as possible.” His remarks came days after he threatened that the United States might have to give Iran “the hammer,” and said he still needed to deal with suspected targets, including Pickaxe Mountain in central Iran.
Qatar, which has mediated indirect talks, said both sides remained engaged. Foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said Doha was facilitating a real-time exchange of proposals and remained hopeful for an interim deal. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed that consultations were intense, while US Vice President JD Vance said Washington had made progress and hoped to make more.
Iran also repeated its offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days, provided Washington met longstanding demands: an end to the war, unfrozen assets, lifted oil sanctions and an end to the blockade of Iranian ports. The strait remains a vital artery for world oil and gas shipments.
In Tehran, the tension was visible in a large billboard bearing Trump’s image and the words: “We will kill Trump.” Between threats, explosions and negotiations, the region waited to see whether diplomacy could still outrun war.
