A diplomatic source told Axios that Qatari mediators were in contact with the White House over the course of Friday’s talks and that “there was positive progress" in the effort to reach a deal.
Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir – Pakistan's chief mediator in its efforts to de-escalate the now eight-month-old Iran war – has been to Tehran twice this month, most recently on Monday.
US intelligence officials assess that Rezaei maintains regular contact with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. The two are believed to have spoken in recent days, after the American letter arrived.
The war for Yemen could also affect talks in Tehran, with any talks with Iran taking the Houthis into account.
“For three months now, you have besieged us, imposing an embargo and stepping up surveillance. We have committed no act to justify such hostility,” the jihadist group said in a statement on Telegram.
Trump said the US was in no rush to reach a deal with Iran, citing Tehran's economic troubles as Qatari mediators worked to prevent another round of American strikes.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said on Friday that two oil tankers were involved in an incident and stopped in waters south of the Strait of Hormuz.
The explosions over the water may have been warning shots fired at ships violating international agreements in the Strait of Hormuz, IRNA added, citing unofficial sources.
There was no immediate comment from the Houthis.
The operation, which was announced August 24, aims to cut Tehran's funding for the war, missile construction, cyberattacks, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
According to UKTMO, the vessel was approached by a smaller ship that attached the explosives to the hull above the waterline. The subsequent blasts resulted in a fire in the vessel's engine room.
