Trump: The United States is holding talks with representatives of Iran
The Trump administration is holding talks with Iranian representatives via Pakistan and Qatar, as tensions rise over the nuclear program and the deportation of Iranians
Quick Look
- US President Donald Trump announced ongoing talks with Iran, amid threats to resume bombing if Tehran does not reach an acceptable nuclear settlement.
- In a related context, the Houthis announced the killing of 20 people in Saudi strikes that targeted a popular market in Taiz, Yemen, and judicial documents revealed the Trump administration’s plan to deport Iranians via a third country.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Tensions are rising between the United States and Iran over the Iranian nuclear program, with US threats to resume bombing if Tehran does not reach an acceptable settlement. Pakistan and Qatar are leading mediation efforts to avoid escalation. In a separate context, the Houthis announced the killing of 20 people in Saudi strikes that targeted a popular market in Taiz, Yemen, while judicial documents revealed the Trump administration’s plan to deport Iranians via a third country.
US President Donald Trump said today, Friday (November 6, 2026), that his administration is holding talks with representatives of Iran. Speaking to reporters, he added, "We are making very good progress with Iran."
Trump had downplayed speculation that he was preparing to resume bombing Iran as soon as the midterm elections held on Tuesday were completed.
Pakistan and Qatar are leading mediation efforts to avoid a new round of escalation that Washington and Israel have threatened, and Tehran has vowed to respond to it strongly and without “any geographical restrictions.” These statements raise fears of a renewed conflict in the Middle East that has had wide repercussions in the region and the world, especially in terms of energy resource prices and inflation.
The Houthis in Yemen announced that Saudi strikes on Friday targeted a popular market in Taiz Governorate, southwest of the country, killing 20 people, while the internationally recognized government accused the Iran-backed movement of being behind the attack.
The spokesman for the Houthi Ministry of Health, Anis Al-Asbahi, said in statements reported by the "Saba" agency, "The Saudi enemy aircraft targeted the popular Hadara market in Al-Wazi'iyah district with several raids, resulting in the martyrdom of 20 citizens and the injury of 10 others, according to a preliminary toll."
On the other hand, the Aden government, supported by Riyadh, held the Houthis responsible for the strikes, and denied any other parties carrying out air operations in the region.
US President Donald Trump, after a meeting with his national security advisers, denied any potential impact of the losses in the midterm elections in Congress on his plans regarding Iran. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said: “We are currently making more weapons in our military than we have ever made before, and we are fully prepared.” He added: "If we have to continue dealing with Iran, we are fully prepared."
"Do we want to move forward" with attacks to ensure that Iran's nuclear program is eliminated and "it doesn't happen again?" he said. "I wouldn't rather destroy the rest of the country if I could, but I might have to. You'll know soon enough."
Trump continued that the United States had achieved “everything we could to control” regarding Iran. Now we will make a decision."
It is noteworthy that President Trump has threatened for weeks to return to bombing Iran on a large scale once the US elections are over, if Tehran does not reach a settlement on terms acceptable to him.
The US President reiterated his position on the "necessity" for Iran to provide commitments regarding its nuclear program in any potential agreement.
Meanwhile, the American news site Axios quoted an American official as saying that the US Central Command (CENTCOM) is strengthening preparations for the possible resumption of major military operations in Iran. However, it has not yet received new orders from Washington.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters on Thursday (November 5, 2026) that Tehran had sent a nuclear proposal to the United States via Qatar. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added that Washington is currently reviewing the nuclear proposal presented by Tehran.
Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary-General of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council, said earlier today during his visit to Russia, “We announced to the Americans seven conditions regarding diplomacy. Unless they implement these seven conditions, we will not allow the Strait of Hormuz to be opened, and we will not enter into any negotiations.”
Iran demands, among other conditions, the lifting of US sanctions, the release of frozen Iranian assets, and compensation for the war, while Washington stresses that nuclear issues must be part of any initial negotiations.
Sources suggest that Trump will order a strike on Iran again
For his part, US President Donald Trump said today that Iran cannot do anything related to its nuclear program without obtaining the approval of the United States. "They do nothing without our approval," he told reporters in the Oval Office, in response to a question about proposals presented by mediators to Iran regarding the future of its nuclear program.
Regarding Iran, Trump said a decision must be made whether to move forward with additional steps or “ratify the agreement.”
Sources told Reuters that Trump would order the resumption of hostilities. One source said: “He is planning to bomb Iran. Don't believe what he says. This was postponed due to the midterm elections. We asked him to postpone the matter until the end of those elections.” The other source said that Trump “has nothing to lose politically now” after the end of the midterm elections.
Judicial documents declassified today, Thursday (November 5, 2026), show that the administration of US President Donald Trump announced, in mid-October, that it still intends to deport Iranians via an undisclosed third country, although it is not clear when it intends to carry out the deportations.
The judge assigned to consider the case ordered the US administration to notify the court 24 hours before of any final plans to deport Iranians to Iran or to any other country, and to provide written notice five days before carrying out any such deportation.
The documents show that the US administration maintained contact with Iranian officials during the war regarding deportations, specifically to provide travel documents and research “possible ways to carry out deportations.”
Judge: “We are at war with a state that Trump described as lawless.”
“We are at war with a state that the president of the United States, just two or three days ago, if not yesterday, described as a state without law... a state that is an enemy of the United States, according to the current president,” Judge Ana Reyes said, according to the minutes of the October 15 hearing. “And a state that has killed tens of thousands of protesters, according to our president.”
Dimitar Georgiev-Rimmel, a US Department of Justice lawyer, responded: “Yes, Your Honor. The government is executing lawful deportation orders.”
This development came in the context of a lawsuit that is still pending, accusing immigration agencies affiliated with the Trump administration of sharing confidential information about Iranian asylum seekers with the Iranian government, according to what was stated in the memorandums submitted to the court.
“Coordinated campaign between the US and Iranian governments”
The lawsuit depicts a coordinated campaign between the US and Iranian governments to identify Iranians detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and to pressure them to return to Iran, in a remarkable shift from decades of diplomatic hostility between the two governments, and in light of the continuing war between the two countries.
The US Department of Homeland Security denies sharing asylum application records with the Iranian government.
Hundreds of emails exchanged between US immigration officials revealed how the two countries cooperated to arrange the return of more than 100 Iranians by air to Iran, on three deportation flights, in September and December 2025 and January 2026.
Deportations of Iranians to their country are historically rare, due to the lack of diplomatic relations between the United States and Iran, as well as the possibility that they will be subjected to persecution if they are returned to Iran.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Talks between the United States and Iran will continue through mediators such as Qatar and Pakistan
Likely · Within weeks
The United States may order the resumption of military operations against Iran if a nuclear settlement is not reached
Possible · Within weeks
Lawsuits related to the deportation of Iranians and the sharing of asylum information with the Iranian government will continue
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- What are the seven conditions set by Iran for diplomacy with the United States?
- What is the third country through which the United States plans to deport Iranians?
- When does the United States intend to carry out deportations?
- Will the United States resume military strikes on Iran after the midterm elections?







