Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday in an effort to negotiate an agreement to end the US-Iran conflict, with the diplomatic initiative coordinated with Washington, Al Jazeera reported. The latest push follows a report Wednesday by The Wall Street Journal that US Vice President JD Vance had sent a letter to Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei in an attempt to revive stalled negotiations. Tehran received the message but had yet to respond, a senior Iranian official told the semi-official Fars News Agency on Thursday. US blockade, war of aggression cause of maritime insecurity in Strait of Hormuz: Iran at UNSC Iran’s representative to the United Nations Security Council Gholamhossein Darzi condemned the US and Israel for their ongoing military aggression and what he termed an illegal naval blockade, saying that Washington’s actions are the root cause of maritime insecurity in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, according to Press TV on Friday. He rejected attempts by Western states to blame Tehran for disruptions in the vital waterway, adding that Iran had upheld freedom of navigation as a responsible coastal state for decades. US blockade, war of aggression root cause of maritime insecurity in Strait of Hormuz: Iran at UNSChttps://t.co/YFqCg4BaMN pic.twitter.com/4ut5CDx3bk — Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) October 30, 2026 “Regrettably, at today's meeting, some speakers have once again ignored the root causes of the current situation,” the envoy said. “The responsibility for any disruption, obstruction, or other interference with maritime navigation in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz lies directly with the aggressors and those who facilitate or assist their act of aggression against Iran.” "Attempts to shift this responsibility onto Iran are unfounded and lack credibility,” he said. The Iranian diplomat said that the Strait of Hormuz remained entirely open and secure until February 28, 2026. Since then, the US and Israel launched a "brutal war of aggression" against Iran, deliberately targeting the country's civilian and maritime infrastructure, ports, and vessels, according to Press TV. The envoy condemned the US military enforcement of the blockade as a "flagrant violation" of Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a grave breach of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, which strictly prohibits the threat or use of force against the political independence of any state. Beyond the military implications, the diplomat highlighted the humanitarian toll of the siege. “The US blockade threatens civilian access to food, medicine, fuel, and other essential supplies, imposes collective punishment, and deprives them of essential needs indispensable to their survival,” he said, according to Press TV. Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson denounces attempts to 'whitewash' Israeli, US 'atrocities' Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei on Friday denounced attempts by the United Kingdom to exploit the "Special Rapporteurship on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran to blame Iran for the crimes committed by the US and Israel." Regardless of the politically motivated nature of the mandate imposed on the Human Rights Council by the UK، exploiting the so-called Special Rapporteurship on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran to blame Iran for the crimes committed by the US and Israel amounts to nothing… — Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) October 29, 2026 He said that doing so was a "deliberate attempt to whitewash aggression, atrocities, and unilateral coercive measures." IRGC says two tankers stopped south of Hormuz; UKMTO says tanker disabled by limpet mines 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, after ignoring radio warnings and attempting to use what it described as an unauthorised route through the strategic waterway. 🔴 IRGC Navy: 🔺 Two oil tankers attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz via an unauthorized route suffered incidents and were stopped in its southern waters after ignoring repeated warnings. pic.twitter.com/ptmECfhNsr — Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) October 30, 2026 Separately, earlier in the morning Reuters reported on a small boat attaching two limpet mines to the hull of a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire in its engine room and temporarily disabling the vessel in the first successful use of such explosives in the waterway since the US war with Iran began in February, maritime sources said on Friday. The crew was safe, there was no environmental impact, and the fire had been extinguished, British navy agency United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said in an advisory note, adding that the vessel, which it did not name, was continuing to its next port of call. UKMTO WARNING 187-26 UPDATE 001 Click here to view the full product⤵️https://t.co/ashHdPmfaI#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/PO5X3LlNCO — UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) October 30, 2026 The incident occurred on Thursday, 25 nautical miles (46 km) northeast of Oman's Khasab, UKMTO said. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack. The tanker — the Panama-flagged Louise 1 — was targeted with limpet mines, according to assessments from three maritime security sources. This is the first known successful strike using limpet mines in the area since the beginning of the US war with Iran and followed a separate attempt in September using such devices which did not detonate, two of the sources said. "The apparent ability of a small craft to approach a transiting tanker, deploy explosive devices and withdraw presents a significant security concern, particularly in the Strait's congested shipping lanes," Greece-based maritime risk management group Marisks said in a note on Friday. Marisks said limpet mines were first deployed in the region in 2017 and used against tankers in the Strait of Hormuz in subsequent years, adding that "limpet mines are cheap and easily available". "The methodology of a small craft attaching these mines on the hulls of vessels in transit is cheap, low-tech and very efficient," it said. The vessel's Panama-based operator, listed in shipping databases as Aquarius Maritime Ventures, could not be immediately reached for comment. US vice president rules out 'forever war' in Iran, says Trump will accomplish objectives US Vice President JD Vance on Thursday ruled out the prospect of an endless war in Iran, expressing confidence that President Donald Trump would achieve the administration’s objectives. "There's a lot more we need to work on, but the one thing I'll tell you is, if you're worried about another forever war, Donald Trump is never going to let this be a forever war," Vance told Fox News. He pointed to the difference between criticising foreign military misadventures and "saying that you can never ever use the American military." “He's going to accomplish America's objectives, and then we're going to focus on the other things that we're doing,” Vance added. US deploys 10 military cargo planes to Israel amid preparations for possible strike on Iran The US has transferred 10 military cargo aircraft to Israeli air bases in the southern Negev region amid preparations for a possible military strike against Iran, the Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported on Thursday. The broadcaster said the aircraft landed at Ovda and Nevatim air bases, while additional US military planes were reportedly dispatched to bases in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. According to KAN, the planes departed from Fort Bliss in the US state of Texas, which houses one of the US military’s largest air defence centres, including facilities associated with interceptor missiles and air defence batteries. Read: Iranian president says regional countries can ensure security without US involvement There was no immediate US confirmation of the reported deployments, and it remained unclear what cargo the aircraft were carrying or whether Washington had decided to launch an attack against Iran. An Israeli official told the broadcaster that Israel and the US were closely coordinating their military preparations. “Israel and the United States are coordinating closely, and although no decision has yet been made on the matter, the Americans and Israel are preparing for any decision President Donald Trump makes,” the official said. The official did not specify the nature or timing of any potential decision. Earlier this week, KAN reported that Washington had warned Gulf countries about the possibility of a short, limited military campaign against Iran. According to the broadcaster, the US military has also transferred a Patriot missile defence system from Texas to reinforce its air defences in the Gulf region. Read more: Trump denies peace talks, says Vance’s outreach to Iran is related to medical supplies The report said US troops stationed at bases across the region had been instructed to leave as a precaution against a possible military escalation. It added that US forces were replenishing their weapons stockpiles, with an additional aircraft carrier and Marine Corps unit expected to arrive in November. The reinforcements would reportedly join approximately 20 US warships already operating in the Middle East. Vessel reported on fire in Strait of Hormuz: UK maritime agency The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre said late on Thursday that a vessel was on fire in the Strait of Hormuz. "UKMTO has received a report of an incident 25NM Northeast of Khasab, Oman in the Strait of Hormuz. A third party has reported that a vessel transiting outbound is on fire, the cause is unknown at time of report," the agency said in a statement. UKMTO WARNING 187-26 Click here to view the full product⤵️https://t.co/mFI6cqM6ys#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/97jvjXkqCN — UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) October 29, 2026 It later reaffirmed having received a verified report confirming that the crew were safe and there was no environmental impact. "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. The subsequent blasts resulted in a fire in the engine room which temporarily disabled the vessel," it noted. UKMTO said the fire had been extinguished and the vessel continued to its next port of call. It further advised vessels to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity as authorities investigated the incident. Iran’s IRGC intercepts ‘hostile’ fighter jet in Strait of Hormuz Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force intercepted a "hostile" fighter jet near Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian media reported on Thursday, amid reports of explosions and possible air defence activity. Iran’s Tasnim and Mehr news agencies, citing sources, reported that the Aerospace Force intercepted the aircraft and forced it to withdraw from the area. The agencies did not disclose the aircraft’s origin or model, noting that no official announcement had been issued regarding the reported incident. Separately, Iran’s Fars News Agency reported that several explosions had been heard near the Strait of Hormuz, including in waters off Sirik and Qeshm Island. Also read: Senior US general fired, accused of leaking classified information Citing local sources, Fars said residents of Qeshm Island had reported seeing flashes of light and hearing sounds in the sky, while some sources suggested that air defence systems had been activated. The agency said preliminary findings indicated that some of the sounds were linked to warning shots fired at vessels allegedly operating without authorisation in the Strait of Hormuz. There was no immediate official confirmation of the reported incidents. CENTCOM chief briefs Trump on options for renewed attacks on Iran The head of the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) briefed President Donald Trump on military options for Iran during a White House meeting on Thursday, as Washington weighs resuming major combat operations, The Wall Street Journal reported. The meeting with Admiral Brad Cooper also included Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Dan Caine, and other members of the Cabinet, according to the report, which cited US officials and people familiar with the meeting. The gathering followed a White House meeting Wednesday between the military officials and Vice President JD Vance, the Journal reported.