On Tuesday, Pakistan's army chief flew into Tehran with a mediators' proposal. Iran's parliament speaker told him, "We have nothing new to say." If you're just joining us, here's where things stand. The US and Israel went to war with Iran on February 28. A truce agreed in June fell apart the following month. Since then Iran has kept the Strait of Hormuz closed to most shipping, the US Navy has blockaded Iranian ports, and Qatar and Pakistan have been passing messages between the two capitals. This is Iran War Daily. Today: a mediator who leaves Tehran empty-handed, the Revolutionary Guards claiming their own mines, and British fighter jets heading to Saudi Arabia. We'll start with the talks.
From The National, on President Masoud Pezeshkian's meeting with Pakistan's Field Marshal Asim Munir:
"It is not possible to increase the severity of sanctions and pressure day by day and close the paths and roads to our country, and then claim to have dialogue and negotiation," he said.
That's Iranian state media's account of Tuesday's meeting, where Pezeshkian said Washington must lift threats and sanctions before any talks. According to state TV, security chief Mohsen Rezaei went further with Munir. He said not even a tiny bit of enriched nuclear material will leave Iran, and there will be no negotiations until America takes steps to build trust. And the uranium is exactly what Washington wants. In Mumbai on Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US will not support any deal that creates a pathway for Iran to ever have a nuclear weapon. So Tehran says the uranium never leaves, and Washington says it can't stay. Good luck to whoever's carrying messages. So what were the mediators carrying? The New Arab, citing unnamed sources, reports that Qatar and Pakistan submitted what it calls a middle-ground proposal on Tuesday. Iran would allow a secret, unannounced visit by IAEA inspectors. In return, the US would let Tehran receive the interest on six billion dollars of its frozen assets held in Qatar. The sources say both sides responded positively. No government has confirmed that. Rubio would only say several countries are "floating proposals." The interest. Not the frozen money, just the interest on it. That's how small the steps are now. And Fars, the hardline Iranian agency, says earlier mediator visits brought oil prices down but didn't move the talks. The channel is still open, though. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says indirect talks continue through Pakistan and Qatar, and Iranian state media say a Qatari delegation arrived in Tehran after Munir left. Rubio, for his part, calls a deal extremely difficult and says economic pressure will continue until Iran stops targeting shipping.
Arab News, carrying an AFP report from Tehran:
“Two violating oil tankers were set ablaze and halted due to the explosion of mines planted by the brave sailors of the IRGC Navy at an illegal crossing point in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz,” the Guards said in a statement on their official Sepah News website.
Mines planted by the IRGC Navy. On Monday we told you the Guards said two tankers had hit mines on a route Iran hadn't authorised. Now they're saying in so many words that they laid the mines themselves. Later on Tuesday the Guards put out a second statement, on state TV. It says a third tanker, carrying over two million barrels of crude, exploded and caught fire after striking a naval mine south of the strait, and that the ship had switched off its radar and navigation systems. Again the Guards give no ship's name, no flag and no exact position. And the statements don't make clear whether the two burning tankers are new, or the pair the Guards described on Saturday. It also clashes with Central Command, which has said it cleared the strait of mines. None of the reporting we've seen independently confirms these latest strikes. The threats are getting wider, too. On Wednesday, Guards political deputy Yadollah Javani said Iran would target internet cables in the strait if its infrastructure is attacked. Qatar's foreign ministry warned that cut cables, mines and oil spills would harm the whole region, Iran included. Reuters had Brent at 109 dollars 64 on Wednesday morning.
BBC News, in its daily Iran war briefing:
The UK will deploy RAF fighter jets to defend Saudi Arabia as the Iranbacked Houthies escalate their attacks. UK defense secretary Wes Streeting says the mission will help defend cities and infrastructure.
The BBC's James Landale says this extends an existing deployment. Britain is adding Typhoon jets, a transport aircraft and advisers because, in his words, the Saudis are really struggling to defend their skies. The target list shows why. On Monday night the Houthi military spokesman announced six operations deep inside Saudi Arabia, including the airport outside Riyadh and the Red Sea oil terminal at Yanbu. The Houthis say their missiles caused damage at Yanbu. That's their claim. Then on Wednesday the coalition said it intercepted five drones over the Eastern region and over Medina, home to one of Islam's holiest cities. More countries are getting involved. Egypt says it's ready to give Saudi Arabia the support it needs to defend itself, and its parliament has put off a vote on possible military action against the Houthis until October 26, next Monday. NPR reports that Saudi Arabia has also cancelled its Davos in the Desert investor conference because of the strikes. And Iran offered to broker Saudi-Houthi talks. Araghchi says neither side has answered, and he warns that, quote, "Any foreign intervention would complicate matters." Bold advice from the Houthis' main backer.
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Tomorrow I'll be watching for two things: whether any shipowner or flag state names those tankers, and whether the Qatari delegation in Tehran gets a different answer than Munir did. You'll find all of today's reporting in the show notes, and we'll be back tomorrow, Thursday. Iran War Daily is made by Lantern Podcasts. Thanks for listening, and take care this Wednesday.