President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Washington must decide whether to take additional steps against Iran or "certify the agreement," and that a decision would come within the next two weeks, according to BBC reporting. Speaking to journalists at the White House, Trump said the content of Iran's proposals did not matter because Tehran "will not have a nuclear weapon," and that Iran would take no step without American approval.
Trump also said the United States controls everything it set out to control in Iran since its presence there began seven months ago, and that the decision would be known soon. He said he would prefer not to destroy what remains of Iran, but that he might be forced to do so.
Why it matters
The remarks put a short clock on a confrontation that has already reshaped the region's security and energy landscape. Any choice between a negotiated settlement and renewed military action carries consequences far beyond Washington and Tehran — for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, for Gulf states hosting mediation efforts, and for a U.S. administration whose own vice president has linked the party's midterm losses to the Iran war.
Iran demands action, not promises
Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, told state television that Tehran is not satisfied with "paper commitments" and wants to see concrete steps from the United States before any new diplomatic effort begins, according to BBC.
An Iranian military spokesman warned that any new aggression or hostile act in the region would not lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, saying that reopening depends on U.S. compliance with seven conditions set by Tehran. He said Iran would target all American material and non-material assets without regard to geographic limits if attacked, and that Iran's supreme leader had stressed to military commanders the need for a rapid response to any aggression.
Drones downed and a tanker blast
Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it brought down a sixth U.S. MQ-1C-170 drone over Qeshm Island, in a brief statement from its public relations office saying the aerospace force used "advanced electronic warfare systems." The Guard had announced a fifth drone of the same model downed over the island earlier the same evening.
In the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said on Friday that the master of an oil tanker transiting the strait reported an explosion at the waterline on the vessel's port side, 16 nautical miles east of the Omani city of Khasab. The agency said the tanker was still able to sail under its own power and was continuing its voyage, and that all crew members were safe and in good condition.
Qatar call and a Moscow meeting
Trump spoke by phone on Friday with Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to discuss efforts to end the tension between Washington and Tehran amid diplomacy aimed at avoiding a new round of conflict. A Qatari statement said the two leaders reviewed Qatar's mediation efforts toward a comprehensive agreement ending the regional crisis.
In Moscow on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin received Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, for what Rezaei described as "extremely important talks" on strengthening relations. Rezaei said Putin stressed the need for regional security mechanisms and rejected any interference by outside powers in settling the Middle East situation. He said they discussed extending gas pipelines between Russia and Iran, which he said would ease shortages in the Iranian market and allow organization of Russian gas transit to neighboring countries, and that he delivered a personal message to Putin from Iran's supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.
Putin had confirmed to his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, in early October that Russia was ready to contribute to mediation efforts to end the war being waged by the United States and Israel on Iran, according to the BBC report.
Pressure on Hegseth
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faces mounting pressure, with Democrats in Congress announcing plans to open investigations into his performance and his management of the war on Iran, while a Republican lawmaker intends to file articles of impeachment. The moves follow Democratic victories in both the House and Senate in the midterm elections. Trump and Vice President JD Vance have attributed Republican losses to the Iran war, which Hegseth was among the administration's most prominent supporters and spokespeople on. Trump has stood by his defense secretary, saying he is "doing a very good job" when asked about a possible replacement.
What to watch: whether the White House announces its Iran decision within the two-week window Trump set, and whether Qatar's mediation produces a framework both sides will accept.
