Tehran says indirect negotiations over a seven-day truce remain underway, even as an Iranian military commander threatens undersea internet cables in the Persian Gulf.
Indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran over a proposed seven-day ceasefire remain active through mediators, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Wednesday, even as Iranian military leaders threatened commercial internet cables in the Persian Gulf.
Negotiations over the seven-day proposal
CBS News reported that Araghchi described ongoing talks conducted through Pakistan and Qatar, which have facilitated discussions between Washington and Tehran for months. The diplomatic effort centers on an Iranian plan first introduced in September that President Donald Trump previously rejected.
The Iranian proposal calls for an end to the American naval blockade of Iranian ports and vessels, the removal of sanctions on Iranian oil exports, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and the release of frozen Iranian assets. Araghchi stated that Washington is now pushing to add extra clauses to the plan. “The negotiating table remains in place,” Araghchi said, arguing that the United States is closing the path forward. Iran had stated Tuesday that it would refuse to negotiate unless the American administration dropped its sanctions, threats, and pressure campaign.
Threats to undersea internet cables
The diplomatic discussions coincided with explicit warnings from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Brig. Gen. Yadollah Javani, the IRGC deputy for political affairs, announced Wednesday that Iran will target undersea internet cables and other Western investments if American forces strike Iranian infrastructure.
Javani stated that Iran would use all available capabilities to destroy allied assets in response to any attacks. Analysts pointed out that severing internet cables in the waterway would disrupt digital connectivity across Persian Gulf nations. The warning comes as the US and Iran clash over control of Strait of Hormuz waters during the extended conflict.
Trump weighs final war strategy
Trump addressed the conflict Tuesday in Washington during an Oval Office executive order signing. He asserted that the United States is doing very well against Iran, though he noted he had not made a final decision on whether to win the war through nice or not nice methods.
The war began in March, when Trump predicted it would last only a few weeks, but fighting has continued for nearly eight months. Trump also discussed European allies, noting that he had personally phoned individual presidents and prime ministers to ask whether they would join the military campaign. After they declined, Trump said, “We don’t need any help. But I was testing them.” He criticized European nations for refusing to assist despite American spending on NATO.
Regional attacks and domestic impact
Tensions across the Middle East have escalated through proxy strikes. Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen claimed a ballistic missile attack Wednesday against a Saudi military operations room at Badr Camp in Aden. Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree called the launch an accurate and direct hit. The strike marked the third attack on Aden within a week, and local security officials reported an explosion near the city airport. Aden serves as the seat of Yemen’s Saudi-backed government after Houthis seized the capital Sanaa over a decade ago.
Following an Oct. 10 Houthi strike on Riyadh international airport that killed an American citizen, United States embassies in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates issued fresh security alerts warning citizens of potential flight disruptions and airspace closures. State Department official Edgar Vasquez confirmed the administration is actively warning Americans about threats from Houthi forces.
Meanwhile, global oil prices have hovered near five-month highs. Fox News reported that rising fuel costs have reached American voters ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Campaigning Tuesday at Pitt-Greenville Airport in North Carolina to support Republican Senate candidate Michael Whatley against Roy Cooper, Trump called the war a small price to pay to keep the nation safe.
