Two missiles strike Qeshm Island as Qatar reports progress in US-Iran talks
Preliminary accounts confirm impacts on the Iranian island on Saturday, even as Doha claims diplomatic momentum has increased since Tuesday's US midterm elections.
By Harvey Wilson ·
Two missiles hit Qeshm Island in Iran on Saturday, according to preliminary accounts from the semi-official Tasnim news agency. The report stated that no official data regarding damage was yet available. The United States had not announced an attack on targets inside Iran at the time of the reports.
The strikes occurred against a backdrop of shifting diplomatic efforts. Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani spoke on Saturday, November 7, via Al Jazeera TV. He stated that mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran were continuing and that significant progress had been made toward a possible settlement. Al-Thani said the goal was to prevent the regional situation from spiraling out of control.
Diplomatic activity has accelerated following the US midterm elections held on Tuesday. Al-Thani confirmed that the US administration remained open to finding a solution. He expressed confidence that the vote did not change Washington's willingness to pursue an agreement. Regional governments had expected attacks to resume after the election, as President Donald Trump had refrained from striking Iran in the weeks leading up to the vote.
Al-Thani outlined the strategy for the negotiations, noting that a perfect resolution was not required. "We cannot wait to reach a perfect agreement; we hope to reach a good agreement," he said. His remarks combined an assessment of progress already made with continued hope that the process would yield a deal.
The diplomatic push is attempting to counter Iran's warnings. Tehran has stated that any new attacks would prompt strikes on US and Israeli targets in neighboring countries. These warnings have shaped the regional environment in which Qatar is working to bring the two sides together.
Negotiations are currently stalled over a specific proposal from Iran. Since September, Tehran has pushed for a seven-day plan that Trump has rejected. The plan requires the United States to end a blockade of Iranian ports and unfreeze assets. It also calls for approval of an Iranian-backed route through the Strait of Hormuz, which would reopen once those steps are completed.
The Iranian proposal remains on the table despite the rejection. Al-Thani reported progress in the mediation while acknowledging that Washington continues to show interest in reaching a settlement. The reported missile strikes add a new variable to these ongoing discussions.
