Donald Trump Issues Iran Ultimatum Amid Gulf Shipping Attacks

President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum to Iran demanding a diplomatic agreement to end the ongoing war or face further military action. Speaking at a rally in Iowa, Trump defended previous U.S. interventions as necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, dismissing rising oil prices as a small price for global security. While Trump later signaled a preference for diplomacy and more time for negotiations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged immediate strikes following the U.S. midterm elections.

Tensions escalated in the Strait of Hormuz, where two oil tankers hit mines and a Qatari LNG vessel was attacked. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that discussions with mediators are ongoing to reopen the waterway. In Doha, Iranian negotiators met with Qatari mediators to discuss ending the conflict, presenting seven conditions for an agreement including the lifting of the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports.

Iran's leadership remains divided between diplomacy and defense. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei accused the United States of being the greatest threat to the nuclear non-proliferation regime and rejected International Atomic Energy Agency calls for immediate inspections. Simultaneously, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei ordered military commanders to prepare for renewed confrontations with the U.S. and Israel.