Mohan Sinha
05 Nov 2026

DUBAI, U.A.E.: Iran and the United States remain far apart on an agreement to end their war, despite increased diplomatic efforts by regional countries to prevent fighting from starting again, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on November 3.

The latest developments came after the United States carried out overnight air strikes on Iran's Qeshm island. A U.S. official said the attacks targeted surface-to-air missile systems that had been used against American military assets.

Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had shot down a U.S. MQ-9 drone over the eastern part of the Strait of Hormuz.

The senior Iranian official said mediators were trying to narrow the gap between the two countries. Qatari mediators traveled to Tehran on the night of November 2 to discuss a draft agreement under negotiation for the past eight days.

However, Tehran has made clear that it wants its demands met before agreeing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume the flow of oil tankers. The official said nuclear negotiations could begin only after an agreement on the waterway and added that Iran would reject what it considers excessive American demands.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on November 3 that the next move was up to Washington after Tehran had delivered what he described as a strong and reasonable response to the U.S. proposals.

The senior Iranian official also warned that Tehran would respond forcefully to American attacks, both within the region and beyond.

Qalibaf said Iran would not surrender under military pressure or threats. He warned that any miscalculation by Washington could lead to an unpredictable Iranian response that geographical boundaries would not limit.

U.S. President Donald Trump raised doubts earlier this week about whether he would carry out his threat to restart military strikes against Iran after the midterm elections on November 3. He also said he believed Tehran wanted to reach an agreement as quickly as possible.

Alongside messages exchanged between Washington and Tehran through intermediaries, regional governments have increased diplomatic efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading further.

The disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has already had a major impact on global energy supplies. Nearly one billion barrels of oil have been drawn from worldwide inventories since the waterway was disrupted.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on November 3 that discussions with Saudi Arabia were continuing. Tehran wants to establish new regional security arrangements involving countries in the region without the involvement of foreign military forces.

Last week, senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan met Iranian representatives in Tehran. It was the first high-level contact between Iran and the three countries since August.

The U.S.-Israeli war against Iran began in late February, and the fighting has since spread to Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

Saudi Arabia said the recent visit aimed to open diplomatic channels and prevent a return to military escalation. The effort comes as fighting between Saudi forces and Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement has intensified in recent weeks.