TOP STORIES
Trump Plans to Resume Strikes on Iran Day After Midterm Elections | MS NOW
“President Donald Trump is planning to resume strikes on Iran after the midterm elections, with his domestic political power set to wane during his final two years in office, and his attention expected to shift to foreign policy.”
Trump Has Frank Call with Netanyahu About Next Move in Iran War | Axios
“President Trump had a candid phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Saturday about the state of U.S. negotiations with Iran and how quickly to return to combat, according to one Israeli and one U.S. source. . . . The sources said Netanyahu is pressing Trump to strike Iran immediately after the midterm elections on Tuesday. But Trump, for now, wants to let negotiations play out—a strategy Netanyahu is concerned about. The Israeli source said the call was ‘tough,’ while the U.S. source described it as ‘direct.’”
“Iran’s strikes on more than two dozen U.S. bases in the Middle East focused on early-warning systems before hitting aircraft and buildings, causing billions of dollars in equipment damage, according to an Associated Press analysis.”
UANI IN THE NEWS
Iranian ‘Ghost Fleet’ Filmed Evading US Blockade en Route to China, UANI Says | Fox News
“Small Iranian ‘ghost fleet’ tankers are slipping past the U.S. naval blockade and smuggling sanctioned liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to China through a shadowy maritime hub off Malaysia, according to U.S. investigators who covertly filmed one of the vessels en route in September. United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), which conducted the months-long probe, said at least nine similar tankers carrying Iranian oil or LPG have also evaded U.S. restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz since Washington reinstated the Iranian port blockade in July. . . . ‘This tanker had loaded its Iranian LPG from Assaluyeh Port, Iran, in late August. It then breached the U.S. blockade and made its way to a Malaysian anchorage,’ Jemima Shelley, a senior analyst at UANI, explained.”
Iranian Tankers Bypass U.S. Naval Blockade to Transport Gas to China | IranWire
“A report by Fox News, citing the advocacy group ‘United Against Nuclear Iran’ (UANI), reveals that at least nine tankers carrying Iranian oil or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) have successfully bypassed U.S. maritime restrictions since the reimposition of the American naval blockade in July 2026. . . . Following months of investigation, UANI published images of a tanker named ‘SOGL,’ which departed from the port of Asaluyeh in late August 2026, carrying approximately 500,000 barrels of liquefied petroleum gas. After breaking through the U.S. naval blockade, the vessel reached Malaysian waters. Jemima Shelley, a senior analyst at UANI, told Fox News that the tanker refuelled in waters near Malaysia and, after receiving support services, delivered its cargo to the port of Qinzhou in China.”
Documentary Reveals: How Iran’s Ghost Fleet Bypasses the American Blockade | Channel 14
“Despite the naval blockade imposed by the United States on Iran, tankers belonging to the regime in Tehran's ‘ghost fleet’ are managing to evade American supervision and transport energy cargo to China. This is according to an investigation by the organization United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), which was published on the Fox News network and includes documentation of an Iranian tanker that managed to bypass the blockade and reach East Asia.”
SANCTIONS, BUSINESS RISKS & OTHER ECONOMIC NEWS
U.S. Blockade, Sanctions Crippling Iran’s Economy, Treasury Report Says | Axios
“The U.S. naval blockade, sweeping economic sanctions and obstruction of overland export routes have crippled Iran’s economy and intensified pressure on the regime, according to a new Treasury Department report obtained by Axios. . . . Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is leading an economic pressure campaign dubbed ‘Operation Economic Outcast,’ is one of Trump’s closest aides urging him to let the initiative play out rather than rush back into combat.”
MILITARY MATTERS & SHIPPING
“The IDF is ready to strike Iran if US President Donald Trump asks it to join the American air force in an operation after the November 3 midterm elections, but a wide cloud of uncertainty is hovering over the situation, The Jerusalem Post understands. . . . There are disagreements between the US and Israel about what the goals of such an operation would be. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to talk about regime change, and Mossad Director Roman Gofman is working hard on plans to advance that goal, according to sources. In contrast, the IDF’s focus tends to be on specific threat reduction items. . . . Trump is much more focused on achieving some concessions on the nuclear issue and opening Hormuz. . . . Next, US officials are highly concerned about keeping any new operation against Iran time-limited, possibly as short as a few days. In contrast, even if Israeli officials do not want another 40-day war, they also have not talked about keeping the operation as short as Washington has emphasized.”
“How a third Iran war would be fought has already taken shape. Foreign sources have reported that the Israeli Air Force flew through Syria and Iraq up to the Iranian border to rehearse its strikes on the Islamic Republic. Israel has already used its F-35s to outwit and eliminate Iran's radar four times dating back to April 2024, followed by using its F-15s and F-16s to carry out massive bombing raids.”
“Iran will reportedly receive Russian-made Su-35 fighter jets after the US-Iran war ends, Revolutionary Guards spokesman General Mohammad Akraminia told Iranian media on Sunday. . . . Akraminia added that the IRGC plans to roll out more advanced aircraft, including the Su-35.”
“Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Saturday reportedly warned the United States and Israel against returning to war, according to a written statement, following threats from Tehran’s foes of a possible resumption of strikes, which a report said could come as early as November 4, the day after the US midterms. . . . The remarks came during a reported meeting between Khamenei and senior military commanders, including armed forces chief of staff Ali Abdollahi, army chief Amir Hatami and Revolutionary Guards commander Ahmad Vahidi. It was the first reported meeting between them. . . . According to the statement, Khamenei ordered the commanders to ensure that ‘any level or type of threat must be met with an immediate, impactful and geographically unrestricted response.’”
“More commercial ships have come under attack in October than at any other point in the war. Yet in contrast to March when exports cratered, tankers have continued to ferry substantial volumes of crude oil through Hormuz in a sign that the shipping industry has adapted to wartime in the Persian Gulf.”
Two Oil Tankers Explode After Hitting Mine in Hormuz Strait, IRGC Spokesperson Says | Jerusalem Post
“Two oil tankers exploded after hitting Iranian mines while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy spokesperson announced in a statement to the state media channel Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting on Sunday. The tankers ‘were in violation of regulations,’ the spokesperson said, explaining that they were traveling on ‘an unauthorized route in the Strait.’”
Qatari Gas Tanker Struck in Gulf on Friday Evening, State Media Says | Agence France-Presse
“A Qatari tanker was attacked with ‘unidentified objects’ while transiting Gulf waters, the country’s state news agency reports. The attack on Friday evening struck a liquefied natural gas carrier, Al Mayeda, that belongs to the Qatar Gas Transport Company, Qatar News Agency says.”
Iranian Official Says US Attacked Fishing Boats off Qeshm Island, State Media Reports | Reuters
“Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, citing a Hormozgan province official, said on Saturday that the US had attacked two fishing boats near Qeshm Island. There was no immediate US confirmation of the attack. The White House and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Local Iranian officials said the attack wounded one fisherman, Iranian media reported.”
CENTCOM Calls Iranian Foreign Minister’s Civilian Defence Claims False | IranWire
“United States Central Command (CENTCOM) described recent claims by the Islamic Republic’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, that Iranian military forces do not attack ‘civilians of neighbouring countries’ as false, stating that Iranian attacks in recent months have resulted in the deaths of more than 20 civilian mariners.’
Trump on Iran War: It’s Going to Get Wrapped Up Soon | Reuters
“US President Donald Trump, speaking ahead of November 3 midterm congressional elections, said on Friday he believed the war with Iran will end soon, but did not say how that would happen. ‘It’s going to get wrapped up soon,’ Trump said in an interview with Kansas City radio station KCMO. ‘We need a guarantee there'll never be a nuclear weapon.’”
Trump Tells Rally That US May Have to Give Iran ‘The Hammer’ | Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
“‘And the only reason why I'm not finished with Iran is I want to be nice,’ he told supporters on November 1 during a rally in Iowa, just ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. ‘I want to try and save all those lives if I can . . . But at some point we're going to have to give them the hammer,’ he added.”
DIPLOMACY
Iranians Have Left Doha Talks, Draft Proposal for Us Deal Being Circulated, Official Says | Reuters
“Iranian negotiators have left talks with Qatari mediators aimed at ending the war with the United States, and a draft proposal is being circulated with a follow-up meeting possible, an official briefed on the talks said on Monday.”
Minister Araghchi: Iran Sees No Need for Meeting with US Officials | Deutsche Presse-Agentur
“Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that Tehran had no immediate plans to hold talks with US officials, arguing that there was ‘no need’ for a meeting under the current circumstances. Araghchi told Al Jazeera that Iran’s conditions were clear and that consultations with mediators were ongoing.”
Iran Negotiators in Doha for Qatar-Mediated Talks to End US-Iran War, Official Confirms | Reuters
“Iranian negotiators are in Doha for talks with Qatari mediators, an official briefed on the negotiations confirms to Reuters, following more than 12 hours of discussions in Tehran yesterday as efforts continue to end the Iran war. The Qatari team has remained in frequent contact with US negotiators throughout the talks, the official says.”
“Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described US Vice President JD Vance’s letter to Tehran as a ‘positive step’ toward resuming talks between the two countries, in comments to Al Jazeera on Friday. Tehran received the letter on Wednesday, according to The Wall Street Journal, but has yet to formally respond.”
“Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened in two days instead of seven, as per a suggestion by Qatar, if his country's conditions were accepted.”
Iran’s Foreign Minister Says Outcome of Talks Depends on US’s ‘Rationality’ | Associated Press
“Iran’s top diplomat says consultations with mediators are ongoing as diplomatic efforts try to avoid a return to all-out war, and the final outcome depends on answers provided by the United States to the ‘Iranian questions.’”
“Arab states remain open to negotiations with Iran but need a reciprocal response from Tehran, the head of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) said on Saturday, as senior regional officials warned of a more destructive phase of the US-Iran war.”
Pakistan Military ‘Cautiously Optimistic’ on Iran-US Mediation | Reuters
“Pakistan’s military is ‘cautiously optimistic’ about its mediation between Iran and the United States, its spokesman said on Friday in his first interview since a high-level delegation visited Tehran this week.”
“US Vice President JD Vance’s reported bid to meet Iran’s security chief Mohsen Rezaei for peace talks with Tehran raises a troubling question for Washington: Does it understand the man it would face across the table? For more than four decades, Rezaei has occupied positions of power from which he could make decisions that imposed extraordinary human and economic losses on Iranians, while he and his factional allies in the Islamic Republic remained largely insulated from their consequences. Understanding this track record and how he calculates the costs of diplomacy is essential to understanding how he might negotiate with Washington, how much he is prepared to tolerate, and what could finally persuade him to compromise.”
PROXY WARS
“Hezbollah is unlikely to join a renewed war between the US and Iran unless Tehran’s leadership faces an existential threat, a senior Lebanese official has told The National.”
NUCLEAR PROGRAM
Tehran’s Interim Friday Prayer Leader Calls for Change in Iran’s Nuclear Doctrine | IranWire
“Mohammad-Javad Haj-Ali-Akbari, Tehran’s interim Friday prayer leader, called for a revision of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear doctrine and a move toward acquiring nuclear weapons during his sermon on Friday, October 30, 2026. He claimed that the issue has now become a ‘national demand.’”
Iranian Cleric Urges Review of Country’s NPT Membership | Iran International
“Iran should reconsider its membership in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, a senior cleric said, arguing that the country had suffered setbacks without gaining comparable benefits, IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday. ‘The Islamic Republic has suffered considerable harm and setbacks over the years because of its membership in and continued adherence to this treaty, while gaining no commensurate benefit from that membership,’ said Mohsen Araki, a member of the Assembly of Experts and the Expediency Discernment Council.”
PROTESTS & HUMAN RIGHTS
Iran Court Sentences 21-Year-Old Protester to Death | Iran International
“A court in Iran has sentenced 21-year-old protester Omran Amani to death on a charge of ‘moharebeh,’ or ‘waging war against God,’ according to information obtained by Iran International.”
Study Finds Self-Immolation Accounts for 16% of Iran’s Burn Admissions | Iran International
“Self-immolation accounts for about 16% of burn hospitalizations in Iran, with women and young people making up a significant share of victims and mortality rates reaching 62%, the head of the country’s burn association said on Sunday.”
Tehran PhD Student Attempts Self-Immolation After Security Pressure | Iran International
“A University of Tehran doctoral student reportedly attempted self-immolation outside a university building after repeated disciplinary summonses and security pressure, the student-run Tehran-Daneshjoo channel said Sunday. The channel identified him as Shahin Shokouhi, a sociology PhD candidate, and said the incident occurred around midday outside the Foolad building on 16 Azar Street. He was taken for medical treatment, but his condition remained unknown.”
Halloween Gathering in Tehran Ends in Arrests and Police Crackdown | Iran International
“Iranian security forces and plainclothes officers broke up a Halloween gathering in central Tehran on Friday evening, beating and detaining people and forcing nearby cafes to close, witnesses told Iran International. Young people wearing Halloween costumes and makeup had gathered on Iranshahr Street, near Tehran's Artists Park, when police blocked the road. Basij members and plainclothes security personnel then moved in to disperse the crowd.”
Iran Seizes Art School Assets over Founder’s Social Media Posts | Iran International
“Iranian authorities have seized assets belonging to the founder of a private art and design school in Tehran and begun confiscation proceedings, the IRGC-affiliated Fars news agency reported, a day after the school said its assets had been seized and its bank accounts frozen. Fars alleged that Alireza Ordoubadi, founder of Inverse School, had insulted Shiite Muslims and engaged in propaganda against the Islamic Republic on his personal social media accounts.
EUROPE & IRAN
“Iran designated Britain’s Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organizations and declared its MI6 foreign intelligence service a hostile entity, state-run news agency IRNA reports.”
CANADA & IRAN
CSIS Warns Iran-Related Activities Targeting Canada Likely to Continue in 2026 | Iran International
“The Canadian Security Intelligence Service told Iran International that in more than one case its efforts to counter Iranian intelligence services and their proxies involved detecting, investigating and disrupting potentially lethal threats in Canada. CSIS said it assesses that ‘Iranian threat-related activities directed at Canada and its allies are likely to continue in 2026.’”