October 30, 2026
Qatari mediators return to Tehran seeking a US–Iran agreement as Germany urges an end to war amid renewed tensions in Hormuz.
The Guard initially announced that two oil tankers had caught fire and stopped in waters off the southern coast of the strait after attempting to use an unauthorized route, Al-Mayadeen reported.
It said the vessels had switched off their navigation systems, ignored repeated radio warnings and entered an unsafe area with US military support. The Guard blamed the US military for the incidents, accusing it of disregarding Iranian navigation regulations.
In a subsequent announcement, the Guard’s naval public relations department said a third vessel, described as a supertanker, suffered an explosion after striking a naval mine.
The Iranian statements came after a separate UK Maritime Trade Operations report of a tanker fire in the waterway Thursday.
Vessel on Fire
UKMTO initially reported late Thursday that a vessel completing an outbound transit was on fire approximately 25 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman. The cause was unknown at the time of that report.
In a subsequent update, the agency said it had received a verified account confirming that the crew were safe and that no environmental impact had been reported, according to Anadolu.
“The report indicates that the tanker was approached on the port side by a small boat which attached two explosive devices to the hull above the waterline,” UKMTO said.
The explosions caused a fire in the engine room and temporarily disabled the vessel. The agency said the fire was extinguished and the tanker continued toward its next port of call.
In related news, The Financial Times described the use of devices attached directly to a tanker’s hull as a significant tactical shift. The newspaper said it was the first such use of limpet mines in the strait since 2019.
The newspaper attributed the operation to Iran and interpreted it as a change in Tehran’s tactics toward US and Israeli threats.
Mediators in Tehran
Amid the maritime incidents, a Qatari delegation arrived in Tehran Friday morning for talks with senior Iranian officials.
The delegation was headed by a senior adviser to Qatar’s prime minister and foreign minister, according to Iran’s IRNA news agency. Its discussions were expected to cover bilateral relations and regional developments, Anadolu reported.
Aljazeera reported that the mediators had returned to negotiate an agreement to end the US–Iran conflict, with the initiative coordinated with Washington.
Al-Mayadeen also cited a source speaking to Reuters who confirmed the renewed mediation effort.
The visit followed reports Wednesday that US Vice President JD Vance had written to Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Major General Mohsen Rezaei in an effort to revive stalled negotiations.
A senior Iranian official told Fars Thursday that Tehran had received the message but had not yet responded.
Separately Thursday, an informed Iranian source told Al-Mayadeen that Vance and Rezaei had recently exchanged correspondence. The source rejected accounts portraying the contacts as Iranian concessions and said Tehran would disclose the details at a time of its choosing.
The same source insisted that Iran’s seven conditions must be implemented together before the Strait of Hormuz reopened or negotiations resumed.
Washington and Tehran signed a framework agreement in June and subsequently began negotiations, but the talks stalled over disagreements concerning navigation and security in the strait.
Merz: End the War
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Friday that his government was working to end the war against Iran “as soon as possible,” warning of its substantial consequences for Europe.
Merz said the United States was changing its foreign policy and that Europe also needed to adjust, Al-Mayadeen reported.
He had previously questioned Washington’s strategy, saying he saw no clear exit from the conflict and that Iran was stronger than anticipated.
In Tehran, Rezaei also issued his first public comments following his meeting with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
He said Khamenei was overseeing the country’s cultural, military, political, economic and social affairs, as well as efforts to address citizens’ problems. Rezaei said the leader’s firm and prudent leadership would strengthen Iran and help it overcome its adversaries.
Iranian officials have meanwhile emphasized military readiness amid reports of possible renewed US and Israeli attacks, saying Tehran has restored capabilities in surface-to-surface missiles, air defense and drones and would respond more forcefully to another attack.
Qatari mediators return to Tehran seeking a US–Iran agreement as Germany urges an end to war amid renewed tensions in Hormuz.
- Qatari mediators return to Tehran for talks with senior Iranian officials in a renewed effort to revive stalled US–Iran negotiations.
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz calls for an early end to the war, citing its severe impact on Europe.
- Iran reports incidents involving three tankers in Hormuz, while UKMTO confirms an explosives attack that temporarily disabled a vessel.
The Guard initially announced that two oil tankers had caught fire and stopped in waters off the southern coast of the strait after attempting to use an unauthorized route, Al-Mayadeen reported.
It said the vessels had switched off their navigation systems, ignored repeated radio warnings and entered an unsafe area with US military support. The Guard blamed the US military for the incidents, accusing it of disregarding Iranian navigation regulations.
In a subsequent announcement, the Guard’s naval public relations department said a third vessel, described as a supertanker, suffered an explosion after striking a naval mine.
The Iranian statements came after a separate UK Maritime Trade Operations report of a tanker fire in the waterway Thursday.
Vessel on Fire
UKMTO initially reported late Thursday that a vessel completing an outbound transit was on fire approximately 25 nautical miles northeast of Khasab, Oman. The cause was unknown at the time of that report.
In a subsequent update, the agency said it had received a verified account confirming that the crew were safe and that no environmental impact had been reported, according to Anadolu.
“The report indicates that the tanker was approached on the port side by a small boat which attached two explosive devices to the hull above the waterline,” UKMTO said.
The explosions caused a fire in the engine room and temporarily disabled the vessel. The agency said the fire was extinguished and the tanker continued toward its next port of call.
In related news, The Financial Times described the use of devices attached directly to a tanker’s hull as a significant tactical shift. The newspaper said it was the first such use of limpet mines in the strait since 2019.
The newspaper attributed the operation to Iran and interpreted it as a change in Tehran’s tactics toward US and Israeli threats.
Mediators in Tehran
Amid the maritime incidents, a Qatari delegation arrived in Tehran Friday morning for talks with senior Iranian officials.
The delegation was headed by a senior adviser to Qatar’s prime minister and foreign minister, according to Iran’s IRNA news agency. Its discussions were expected to cover bilateral relations and regional developments, Anadolu reported.
Aljazeera reported that the mediators had returned to negotiate an agreement to end the US–Iran conflict, with the initiative coordinated with Washington.
Al-Mayadeen also cited a source speaking to Reuters who confirmed the renewed mediation effort.
The visit followed reports Wednesday that US Vice President JD Vance had written to Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Major General Mohsen Rezaei in an effort to revive stalled negotiations.
A senior Iranian official told Fars Thursday that Tehran had received the message but had not yet responded.
Separately Thursday, an informed Iranian source told Al-Mayadeen that Vance and Rezaei had recently exchanged correspondence. The source rejected accounts portraying the contacts as Iranian concessions and said Tehran would disclose the details at a time of its choosing.
The same source insisted that Iran’s seven conditions must be implemented together before the Strait of Hormuz reopened or negotiations resumed.
Washington and Tehran signed a framework agreement in June and subsequently began negotiations, but the talks stalled over disagreements concerning navigation and security in the strait.
Merz: End the War
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Friday that his government was working to end the war against Iran “as soon as possible,” warning of its substantial consequences for Europe.
Merz said the United States was changing its foreign policy and that Europe also needed to adjust, Al-Mayadeen reported.
He had previously questioned Washington’s strategy, saying he saw no clear exit from the conflict and that Iran was stronger than anticipated.
In Tehran, Rezaei also issued his first public comments following his meeting with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
He said Khamenei was overseeing the country’s cultural, military, political, economic and social affairs, as well as efforts to address citizens’ problems. Rezaei said the leader’s firm and prudent leadership would strengthen Iran and help it overcome its adversaries.
Iranian officials have meanwhile emphasized military readiness amid reports of possible renewed US and Israeli attacks, saying Tehran has restored capabilities in surface-to-surface missiles, air defense and drones and would respond more forcefully to another attack.
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