OMM Newsroom
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran had given Washington a “decisive and rational” response. He warned that a resumption of US military attacks would trigger an unexpected military response. Ghalibaf made the remarks as indirect diplomatic contacts between the sides continued after the war launched by the United States and Israel on February 28, AnewZ reported.
Ghalibaf said responsibility for preventing a new war now rested with Washington. At a session of the Consultative Assembly, he said regional countries should understand that Iran had given the United States a “strong and rational response” and that the next step depended on Washington preventing the conflict from escalating. The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported his remarks.
Diplomatic contacts and security issues in the region
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty discussed reducing regional tensions, preventing a resumption of military operations and steering the crisis toward a political solution with his Omani counterpart, Badr Albusaidi.
The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted and destroyed a drone over the Mecca region in western Saudi Arabia on November 3. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki announced the incident on X but gave no details of casualties or damage.
A day earlier, the coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile and two drones launched by the Houthis toward Saudi Arabia. Tensions with the Houthis in the region are rising.
Iran’s armed forces chief has set out Tehran’s main conditions. They include international recognition of Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz and changes to the US-led regional security system, Tasnim reported.
The proposed principles also include war reparations, guarantees to prevent new acts of aggression and security arrangements led by countries in the region. Tehran is also seeking the full lifting of sanctions and the release of its frozen assets.
International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez declined on November 2 to confirm that mines had been cleared from the Strait of Hormuz, saying passage through the waterway was still unsafe. During a question-and-answer session at the organization’s headquarters in London, he reiterated that ships should not transit the strait, despite conflicting statements from Iran and the United States about the mine threat.
Iran has repeatedly said ships struck mines after entering “unauthorized” routes. US Central Command has rejected those claims, saying mines had been cleared from international shipping lanes. Dominguez wrote on X that commercial shipping had been attacked and seafarers were paying the price.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X on November 3 that talks between Tehran and Riyadh were continuing. Iran is seeking new regional security arrangements established by the countries of the region themselves, without the involvement of foreign military forces, he said.
Araghchi also said Iran had no hostility toward Gulf Cooperation Council countries, praised the positive roles played by Qatar and Oman, and said dialogue with Saudi Arabia was continuing.
A deal between Iran and the United States to end the war still appears distant. A senior Iranian official told Reuters on November 3 that Tehran would not accept Washington’s “excessive demands.” As tensions rise, diplomatic efforts have intensified to prevent a return to active conflict after the midterm elections, with Qatar acting as one of the main mediators.
Military and economic news
One Indian national was killed in an attack on a commercial vessel off Limah, near Oman, India’s Foreign Ministry said on November 3. The ministry said 13 of the 14 Indian nationals aboard were rescued after the incident on Monday.
The Times newspaper reported that Iran could target US military bases in Britain, Germany, Italy and Portugal if US President Donald Trump ordered new strikes on Tehran. Possible attacks could involve cyberattacks, armed groups linked to Iran and criminal networks. US and Israeli diplomatic missions, as well as Jewish community centers, could also be at risk.
Washington is also reportedly strengthening regional missile defense systems and sending a third aircraft carrier to the Middle East. Qatar, Türkiye and Pakistan are trying to restore the June ceasefire, while Tehran insists that any agreement include sanctions relief.
The United States carried out limited strikes on targets on Iran’s Qeshm Island on November 2. A US official told Reuters the operation did not mark a return to large-scale combat. Another official said the strikes were a defensive measure in response to Iranian surface-to-air missile activity targeting US assets. Fox News reported that Iran had fired at a US aircraft.
Iranian state media reported several explosions on the island. US Central Command did not comment on the strikes.
Saudi state oil company Saudi Aramco is considering additional export routes and overseas options, including a possible expansion of the East-West pipeline. Chief Executive Amin Nasser told Reuters on November 3 that the company was ready to ramp up production quickly if circumstances required it.
The US-Israeli war against Iran has reduced Saudi Aramco’s output, but higher oil prices have offset the impact of lower volumes. The company exports crude from eastern terminals in the Gulf, its traditional export route, as well as from western terminals on the Red Sea through the East-West pipeline. In a statement issued on November 3, Saudi Aramco said its financial results for the third quarter of 2026 reflected its ability to adapt to regional developments and deliver strong financial performance.
The start of the 2027 Asian Cup, planned for Saudi Arabia, has been moved from January to December. The Asian Football Confederation had initially scheduled the 24-team tournament to begin in Riyadh on January 7, 2027. Under the revised schedule, it will be held in Saudi Arabia from December 23, 2027, to January 21, 2028. The decision was linked to the conflict in the region.
