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Iran

November 3, 2026

Tehran 9:07 am

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Iranian motorists drive past a poster of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei in central Tehran on Nov. 1, 2026. I

Iran gives 2-day window for Hormuz deal as US mulls strikes: What to know

An Iranian spokesperson said on Monday that a revised proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could take effect within two days if Washington meets its demands.

US Vice President JD Vance speaks to the media at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland on Oct. 27, 2026.

Will Iran take up Vance lifeline to avoid another US attack?

Vance’s letter comes amid a flurry of diplomatic activity ahead of the Nov. 3 deadline; Jordan and Syria move to deepen security ties following a terrorist attack.

Tehran

Analysis

Who will blink first in latest US-Iran diplomacy efforts?

The prospects for a US-Iran deal may depend less on the scope for compromise than on whether either side can afford to make the first concession.

A correspondent in Tehran

By A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Vessels transit the Hormuz Strait

Limpet mine attack in Hormuz suggests Iran may be shifting tactics

UKMTO report of the first successful limpet mine attack on a commercial vessel in the Middle East since 2019 appeared to undermine the Pentagon's claims to have fully cleared and opened the Strait of Hormuz.

Latest News

Oil tops $114 as traders brace for Iran escalation after US midterms

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange at the opening bell, New York City, Sept. 28, 2026.

Analysis

Mediators scramble to avert US-Iran fighting after Trump's midterm restraint fades

US President Donald Trump walks on stage

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

CENTCOM chief briefs Trump on Iran strike options

US CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper speaks during a press briefing

Iran arrests 16 in connection with alleged US-Israel-linked cells: What to know

John Moore/Getty Images

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Diplomatic Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Benjamin Houghton

In Durham, reporting on China in the Middle East

Rahim Rahimov

In Baku, reporting on Middle East-Caucasus ties

Mehrnaz Samimi

In Washington, DC, reporting on Iranian culture

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (L) registers for February's election of the Assembly of Experts, the clerical body that chooses the supreme leader, at the Interior Ministry in Tehran December 21, 2015. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi/TIMA ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. - RTX1ZKJH

Who will choose Iran's next supreme leader?

Hassan Rouhani and Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani both addressed the Assembly of Experts' role in choosing the next leader as they registered to run.

HADARIM PRISON, ISRAEL - JULY 16: In this handout image from Hadarim Prison, Lebanese prisoner Samir Kantar is released by Israeli prison guards on July 16, 2008 at the Hadarim Prison in central Israel. Kuntar, who was jailed in Israel in 1979 at the age of 16 for murder and attempted murder, was swapped in the UN mediated handover with soldiers Eldad Regev, 27, and Ehud Goldwasser, 32. (Photo by Hadarim Prison via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Samir Kantar

Will Hezbollah, Iran avenge the killing of Kuntar?

The killing of veteran terrorist Samir Kuntar, adopted by Hezbollah, is perceived as a blow to Iran, which supported and nurtured Kuntar over the past year.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (L) is greeted as he arrives at the German Mission to the United Nations in New York, December 17, 2015. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid - RTX1Z6LJ

US, Iran move to avert firestorm over visa waiver program changes

Intense diplomacy appears to have averted a potential firestorm between the United States and Iran over changes to the visa waiver program.

United States Secretary of State John Kerry (L) meets with Mohammad Javad Zarif, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran, at the United Nations in New York, September 26, 2015. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RTX1SNOV

Zarif: Iran sees 'mostly negative signals' from US

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, in an interview with Al-Monitor, confirmed brief bilateral exchanges with Saudi counterparts and said numerous disagreements remain inside the international Syria support group on a political transition.

Why Saudi Arabia needs to trust its man on Iran

Considered an Iran expert in Saudi foreign policy circles, Minister Adel al-Turaifi has the background to help mend ties with Tehran; yet, he has so far been either unable or unwilling to resist pressure to take steps to achieve the exact opposite.

How one Iranian TV show is breaking censorship boundaries

Sold in supermarkets, the private sector-produced "Shahrzad" TV series is turning out to be a serious rival of state-sponsored productions.

An Iranian anti-narcotics policeman stands guard beside a display of confiscated drugs during a ceremony concluding anti-narcotics manoeuvres in Zahedan, 1,605 kilometers (1,003 miles) southeast of Tehran May 20, 2009. The head of the U.N. crime agency praised Iran during a visit on Wednesday for curbing the flow of smuggled heroin from Afghanistan and helping keep the drug off Western streets. Picture taken May 20, 2009. REUTERS/Caren Firouz (IRAN CRIME LAW POLITICS SOCIETY) - RTXKL1B

Will Iran end the death penalty for drug smuggling?

Some members of Iran's parliament are launching a bill to eliminate the death penalty in nonviolent drug smuggling cases, though the plan is expected to face staunch opposition.

Has Bibi given up his battle against Iran nuke deal?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who dedicated years to claiming that Iran was working toward a nuclear bomb, has been silent on the IAEA's decision to close its investigation into the matter due to a lack of evidence.

(L-R) Republican Senate leaders Tom Barrasso (R-WY), John Thune (R-SD), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and John Cornyn (R-TX) hold a news conference on budget negotiations on Capitol Hill in Washington December 15, 2015. REUTERS/Gary Cameron - RTX1YUAQ

Tunisia wins, Iran loses in US spending bill

Key US allies get a funding boost while Congress holds the line on visa waivers and Palestinian penalties.

Iran's military bulks up with new Russian tanks

Tehran plans to purchase T-90 tanks from Russia, but is it enough to strengthen the Iranian military?

Rouhani announces sanctions to be removed by January

After the IAEA resolution concluding that Iran has not conducted weapons-related researched in their nuclear program since 2009, President Hassan Rouhani declared that sanctions will be removed by January.

An Iranian customer speaks with a bank clerk at the Export Development Bank of Iran in the capital Tehran on July 27, 2015. Iran's central bank chief said that Iran has assets of $29 billion in overseas banks that could be unlocked under a nuclear deal struck on July 14, far less than reported estimates of over $100 billion. AFP PHOTO / BEHROUZ MEHRI (Photo credit should read BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images)

Will Iran's red tape thwart post-sanctions boom?

Amid the imminent lifting of sanctions, Iran's complicated licensing and permit regulations continue to deter investment — despite the Rouhani administration's efforts.