Iran Says Forces Stronger as Qatar Pushes De-escalation — SkimNews
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- Iran said its forces were on higher alert and stronger than at the start of the eight-month war, with greater motivation, commitment and self-confidence; a Revolutionary Guards spokesman separately said missile range was increasing steadily with "no pause."
- Abbas Araghchi said he had held phone calls with ministers from 12 countries over the previous 48 hours.
- Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, said mediators had prevented the conflict from getting out of control and urged priority for the nuclear issue, freedom of navigation and Gulf security rather than a "perfect deal."
- Trump said Iran "wants to make a deal very badly" and that eight months of fighting had severely damaged its economy and military; he called Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Friday to discuss ending the war.
- Ali Vaez of the International Crisis Group said the Republican Party's heavy midterm losses raised the political cost of war for Trump, who had suffered electoral defeat and failed to secure military victory.
- Iranian army said a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz caught fire and stopped after striking a naval mine, although the U.S. had recently said all mines had been cleared.
- Rewards for Justice was seeking information on Iranian nuclear facilities, equipment and associated personnel, while the U.S. military offered a $20 million reward and possible relocation.
Why it matters: Washington’s $20 million information reward keeps the nuclear issue on the table even as Qatar tries to broker de-escalation; Tehran’s insistence that the Strait of Hormuz stay closed until its demands are met leaves navigation and Gulf security inside the same unresolved bargain, along with the roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption the strait normally carries.
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