Tensions between Washington and Tehran remained dangerously elevated on 4 November 2026 as US midterm elections drew to a close, with both sides trading warnings while regional mediators scrambled to broker a settlement over the Strait of Hormuz closure. US President Donald Trump said he was 'in no rush' to decide on military action, even as reports emerged of covert American strikes on Iranian territory.

Iran's Warnings and Conditions

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Ali Abdollahi warned on Tuesday that Iran's armed forces would respond to any level or type of threat from the United States and Israel immediately and 'without geographical limitations.' The statement signals Tehran's intent to escalate beyond its own borders if provoked.

Separately, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei posted on social media platform X that the US response to Iran's demands was 'not convincing.' 'They must completely and explicitly address Iran's seven conditions and act upon them. Only in this case the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened,' Rezaei said. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei added on Monday that Tehran had, in a show of good faith, reduced the implementation window for its seven-day plan to just two days. Iran had originally conveyed the plan to Washington through mediators on 22 September.

Trump's Three Options

Trump told Axios in a phone interview on Monday that he was weighing his next move carefully. 'One way or the other, we will do something, but there is no rush. We crippled them financially,' he said. He subsequently posted on Truth Social that Iran wanted a settlement and that one could happen soon.

According to the Axios report, Trump was considering three courses of action: a diplomatic deal, resumed military strikes, or sustaining maximum economic pressure without either a deal or renewed hostilities. The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that Trump was reportedly leaning toward a large-scale attack on Iran after the midterms, potentially targeting Iranian infrastructure and nuclear facilities, though no final decision had been made.

Within the administration, US Vice President JD Vance and White House envoy Steve Witkoff reportedly favour diplomacy, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth are pushing for renewed military operations. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are said to favour maintaining the current 'no war, no deal' status quo, according to the report.

Regional Mediation Efforts

Qatar emerged as a key go-between, with Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari confirming on Tuesday that a Qatari delegation had returned from Tehran on Monday evening after more than three hours of talks with Iranian officials. He said both sides were reviewing proposals but differences remained unresolved, and no concrete breakthrough had been achieved. Qatar is coordinating with Pakistan, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members, and other regional and international partners.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi also weighed in on Tuesday, urging both Washington and Tehran to 'create space for understanding and dialogue' at a joint press conference in Cairo with visiting Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi held a phone call the same evening to discuss regional de-escalation efforts, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry confirmed.

Covert US Strikes and Iranian Air Defences

Despite the diplomatic activity, military hostilities have continued beneath the surface. The United States reportedly struck Iran's strategic Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing US officials. Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said late Monday that its air defence systems had intercepted three US drones in the country's southern airspace — two identified as MQM-170 Outlaw drones over Qeshm Island, and a third, an MQ-9 Reaper, shot down in waters east of the Strait of Hormuz.

These strikes were reportedly part of a series of limited covert operations Washington had been carrying out against Iran in recent weeks, even as Trump publicly spoke of a possible diplomatic deal. Washington did not publicly announce the strikes 'to avoid signaling a resumption of major combat operations,' one US official was quoted as saying by The Wall Street Journal. This apparent contradiction — secret strikes alongside diplomatic overtures — adds a volatile dimension to what are already high-stakes negotiations.

With midterms now concluded and no deal in sight, the coming days are likely to be pivotal in determining whether the standoff tips toward a settlement or a sharper military confrontation.