Live Updates: Iran says ‘ball is in US court’ on deal to end war as Trump keeps intentions veiled

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Monday that the next step in the confrontation with the United States would be up to President Trump.

“The ball is in the American court, because our demands have been made very clearly and transparently, and Iran’s demands are reasonable and logical,” Esmaeil Baqaei told reporters in Tehran.

Baqaei said the ongoing negotiations, brokered by Qatar, Pakistan and other mediators, centered on a seven-day proposal that Iran initially presented to the U.S. side in September, which called for the release of frozen Iranian assets, lifting the U.S. naval blockade and an end to fighting on all fronts, in exchange for the gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and continued negotiations on other issues.

President Trump rejected the initial proposal, but the two sides have since exchanged revisions, and Mr. Trump has repeatedly said in recent weeks that he only needs to make a decision whether to launch further attacks on Iran or reach a deal to end the war.

Speaking on Sunday before a campaign rally in Iowa, Mr. Trump said he would end the war soon, “one way or another.”

“Either they will make a deal or we will end it,” he said, without providing further context.

President Trump told reporters Sunday that he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday and had “a very good conversation with him.”

Mr. Trump gave no details but said the two men discussed the war in Iran.

According to sources cited by Axios, Netanyahu pushed Mr. Trump to strike Iran, but the president wants to let the negotiations play out.

The United States and Iran have both engaged in indirect talks through Qatar-led mediators, who are trying to reach an agreement between the two sides before the conflict escalates.

Mr. Trump has repeatedly suggested he plans to resume attacks on Iran after the midterm elections.

Qatari mediators are holding indirect talks aimed at reaching a deal between the United States and Iran, but the closed-door negotiations have been punctuated by exchanges of threats between the leaders of the two countries.

Iranian negotiators are in Qatar to discuss a proposal that could soon reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who added that the outcome depends on responses provided by the United States.

On Saturday, President Trump said the United States still needs to “deal with” one or two additional potential targets in Iran, citing a suspected nuclear complex at Pickaxe Mountain. On Sunday, he reiterated his threat, saying he may have to give Tehran “the hammer” at an unspecified time.

Separately, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei warned Saturday that there would be no “geographical limitations” if fighting with the United States resumes, adding that there is a “vast theater” in which to inflict damage.

Both sides have already acknowledged that indirect talks are underway, but are constantly exchanging threats.

CBS/AFP

The United Arab Emirates’ presidential adviser said Sunday his country hoped a diplomatic breakthrough in Qatar-led mediations was possible, but was also preparing for the possibility of escalation.

Speaking at a security forum in Bahrain, Anwar Gargash said Iran’s attacks on Gulf countries such as the United Arab Emirates made this a “pivotal year” for the region.

“We don’t really want to see another round of confrontations in the region,” Gargash told the audience. But he added that his country and the region are preparing for “the worst”, referring to the resumption of active hostilities.

The UAE was systematically targeted by Tehran in the first weeks of the war in retaliation for US strikes on Iran, disrupting tourism and daily life and challenging the region’s security landscape.

CBS/AP

A ship was struck by “an unknown projectile” in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, a British maritime security agency said, after Qatari media reported an earlier attack on an oil tanker.

Britain’s shipping agency UKMTO said “the captain of a merchant ship relayed a distress call… indicating that another ship had been hit by an unknown projectile” in the strait.

Earlier, Qatar’s official news agency said a Qatari oil tanker was attacked with “unidentified objects” on Friday while transiting Gulf waters. No crew members on board the ship were injured and the attack had no impact on the environment, according to the report.

The attack hit a liquefied natural gas carrier, Al Mayeda, which belongs to the Qatar Gas Transport Company, the Qatar News Agency said.

Since the Middle East war began in February, Iran has targeted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf in a bid to assert control over shipping.

President Trump said he believes the United States will soon end the war with Iran, “one way or another.”

The president was speaking to the Right Side Broadcasting Network ahead of a campaign rally in Iowa on Sunday.

“We had such a victory, and we will put it aside very soon, one way or another,” Mr. Trump said. “Either they’ll make a deal or we’ll just end it…The work we’ve done is incredible.”

Earlier on Sunday, Iran’s top diplomat said he hoped there would be “rationality” on the US side as diplomatic efforts seek to avoid a return to all-out war.