Iran President Says War Would Benefit No One, Talks Continue

Tehran – (Special Correspondent/Web Desk) – Iran president says a return to war would help no one. Masoud Pezeshkian spoke on Tuesday, just hours after reports of US strikes on Qeshm island in the Strait of Hormuz.

His words came as American voters got ready for the midterm elections. Many of them are unhappy about the war and the higher prices it has caused.

Pezeshkian said his government still wants to solve the crisis through talks. He also said Iran’s supreme leader has given the government new powers to discuss issues that were once off limits.

The Wall Street Journal, CNN and The New York Times reported the strikes. Unnamed US officials called the attacks defensive. The Journal said they were the latest of several strikes that were never announced.

Iranian state news agency IRNA said five blasts hit Qeshm in quick order. Some residents saw two aircraft in the sky. Israel told AFP it was not involved.

Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said his country is ready to fight at any moment. He also said Iran has given the US a strong and sensible reply, and that it is now up to Washington to stop a war.

Deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Iran keeps the right to defend itself.

President Donald Trump said a deal could happen and claimed Iran wants a settlement soon. Still, he warned that the US may have to use heavy force at some point. He also said he must deal with one or two more targets, including a suspected nuclear site called Pickaxe Mountain, which Iran denies.

Qatar, which is helping pass messages between the two sides, said both parties remain committed to talks. A spokesman said Doha hopes for an interim deal. Vice President JD Vance also said some progress has been made.

A senior Iranian official said Tehran could reopen Hormuz within two days, but only if Washington accepts its long-held demands. These include ending the war on all fronts, freeing frozen Iranian assets, lifting oil sanctions and ending the blockade of Iranian ports.

Meanwhile, a huge billboard was put up in central Tehran with a threat against Trump. The war began in late February and has been stuck in a stalemate for months.