Day 214 | Iran says Trump must choose between war or diplomacy

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday said there were "indications" that ‘Israel's’ enemies could try to attack ahead of elections scheduled for the end of October, without giving details.

"We have indications that ahead of the elections our enemies will try to attack us. So... I am sending you a message: Don't mess with us, not now and not ever. Our long arm will reach you anywhere, anytime," Netanyahu said at an air force base, according to a video published by his office.

אל תתעסקו איתנו pic.twitter.com/Wbt6xMF9s8

— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) September 29, 2026

• A Qatari intermediary met Iranian officials on Tuesday and presented proposals aimed at addressing Iran's conditions.
• The ideas will also be discussed with US officials, with Tehran expecting a response by Wednesday morning.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday that a seven-point plan had been conveyed to the United States through a Qatari intermediary, according to Iranian media.

Araghchi said the Qatari intermediary had met with Iranian officials again on Tuesday and presented ideas aimed at creating a path toward meeting Iran's conditions.

The proposals would also be discussed with the US side, after which Washington's response would be conveyed to Tehran, Araghchi said.

"I hope this takes place by tomorrow morning," he said, according to Iranian media.

Read more: Iran expects US answer Tuesday on plan to reopen Hormuz, Araghchi says

• The ministry says Doha continues to play its role as a mediator to build common ground between Washington and Tehran.
• Iran's foreign ministry confirmed last week that another round of message exchanges took place through Qatari mediators on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
• Mediators have been shuttling between capitals and exchanging proposals to restart negotiations.

Meetings are ongoing to convey messages between the United States and Iran, Qatar's foreign ministry said on Tuesday, as Doha continues to act as a mediator seeking common ground between the two countries.

Foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said last week that mediators are shuttling between capitals and exchanging proposals in an effort to restart negotiations between the US and Iran, with teams working around the clock to bridge remaining gaps.

Tehran has confirmed the channel. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran held indirect talks with the United States through Qatari mediation on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, exchanging messages and confirming each other's stances. President Donald Trump had said that his son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff discussed pending issues with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi for three hours.

The substance of the exchanges remains contested. Iran said it clarified its conditions for reviving diplomacy, including an end to the US naval blockade and the war on all fronts, the release of frozen assets, and an agreed safe shipping route.

Read more: Iran expects US answer Tuesday on plan to reopen Hormuz, Araghchi says

Russia does not want Iran to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and is counting on Tehran remaining a party to the agreement, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to recent comments from Iranian officials about a possible exit from the treaty, which requires signatories not to develop or acquire nuclear weapons.

“This statement requires further clarification. We would not want Iran to withdraw from the NPT,” Peskov said.

He added that Moscow considers the NPT “the cornerstone of the non-proliferation regime and hope[s] that Iran will remain an important and responsible party to this treaty.”

The remarks came after Iranian First Deputy Parliament Speaker Ali Nikzad indicated that lawmakers are considering a “triple-urgency” bill on withdrawal.

Nikzad said the draft is under review, including its international implications, and could be brought to a plenary session for same-day consideration once registered.

He stressed that Iranian parliamentarians no longer trust the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) or its Director-General Rafael Grossi.

Nikzad accused Grossi of acting in bad faith: “He is one of those people who comes, conducts inspections, praises us, and then leaves and prepares negative reports against us.”

He argued that Iran’s earlier suspension of cooperation with the agency had been in the country’s interest, asking whether Tehran could realistically expect help from the IAEA on nuclear energy matters.

The Iranian comments reflect growing frustration in Tehran amid prolonged disputes with the IAEA and Western pressure over the country’s nuclear program.

Reports also noted that more than 30 former Iranian officials had issued an open letter calling for withdrawal, arguing that continued membership no longer served national interests and urging relevant bodies to begin legal steps promptly.

Russia and Iran maintain close relations under a strategic cooperation treaty.

Moscow has long supported Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy under the NPT while opposing any military dimension to the program, and it has repeatedly described the treaty as central to global non-proliferation efforts.

"Just as we defeated them, we will emerge victorious going forward as well, and the US will have no choice but to acknowledge its defeat and withdraw from the region. Our war will conclude with this outcome," says Hossein Mohebi, a spokesman for Iran's Revolutionary Guards, in remarks aired by state TV.

• Tehran reiterates sovereignty over Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb is "non-negotiable".
• Dispute dates back to 1971, when Iranian forces took the islands as Britain withdrew from the region.
• UAE says the islands were seized unlawfully and has called for negotiations or a resolution via the ICJ.

Iran on Tuesday rejected claims made by the United Arab Emirates at the United Nations General Assembly over three islands in the Gulf, with a senior Iranian diplomat saying Abu Dhabi's repeated assertions do not change the "reality" of Tehran's sovereignty over the territory.

Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, said on social media platform X that Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb remain "inseparable parts of Iran's territory," despite claims raised from the UN rostrum.

"Emirati officials should, instead of repeating unfounded claims, adhere to the requirements of good neighbourliness and the historical and legal realities of the region," Gharibabadi wrote.

The three islands, which sit near the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for global oil shipments, have been under Iranian control since 1971, when Iranian forces took the islands shortly before Britain's withdrawal from the region and the UAE's formal establishment as a federation.

تکرار ادعاهای بی‌اساس درباره جزایر ایرانی، حتی از تریبون مجمع عمومی، واقعیت را تغییر نمیدهد.

ابوموسی، تنب بزرگ و تنب کوچک، بخش جدایی‌ناپذیر از قلمرو ایران‌اند.

مقامات اماراتی باید به جای تکرار ادعاهای واهی، به الزامات حسن همجواری و واقعیت های تاریخی و حقوقی منطقه پایبند باشند.

— Gharibabadi (@Gharibabadi) September 29, 2026

The UAE has long disputed Iran's hold over the territory, arguing the islands were seized unlawfully, and has repeatedly called for direct negotiations or a resolution through the International Court of Justice. 

Tehran has consistently declined both options, maintaining the islands are an integral part of Iranian territory not subject to international arbitration.

The exchange is the latest in a decades-long standoff between the two Gulf neighbors that has periodically flared at UN forums and regional summits without resolution.

Read more: Iran asserts full control over Strait of Hormuz as Trump rejects truce deal

• He says no one else in the region will be able to sell oil if Iran cannot.
• He warns of a swift and severe response to any threat or "adventurism".
• He says US attempts at a maritime blockade and pressure on trade routes will fail.
• He was responding to US President Donald Trump's remarks on the Strait of Hormuz, state media says.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Tuesday that no infrastructure in the region would be safe unless Iran's security was guaranteed, state broadcaster IRIB reported.

"In a region where Iran cannot sell oil, no one else will sell oil either," Ghalibaf was quoted as saying by IRIB.

He cautioned the United States and other countries that Tehran would answer any threat or "adventurism" with a swift and severe response, the broadcaster said.

Ghalibaf also said Washington's efforts to enforce a maritime blockade, shut air corridors and squeeze Iran's trade routes would not succeed, according to IRIB.

IRIB said he was replying to comments by US President Donald Trump on the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's stance remained that no infrastructure would be safe if its security were not guaranteed, Ghalibaf said.

Read more: Iran army official says some neighbors do not want Iran to be strong

• He urges Americans to ask their government why the Guards are labelled a "terrorist" organisation.
• He says the group is targeted because it blocks "plunder" in Iran and the wider region.
• He accuses the US military of crimes, including strikes on schools, hospitals and places of worship.
• He says the United States would win popularity by devoting a fraction of its war spending to aid.

A spokesman for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Tuesday the force has no plans to build a nuclear weapon, in a speech aimed at the American public.

Spokesman Mohebi said Iran has never tried to acquire such a weapon and remains bound to that stance.

He urged US citizens to press their leaders on why the Revolutionary Guard is classed as a "terrorist organisation", saying the designation stems from the group's role in stopping "plunder" in Iran and across the region.

Mohebi said Americans are unaware of what he called crimes carried out by the US military, among them attacks on schools, hospitals, universities, mosques and churches.

He also asked whether the moment had come for Washington to rethink its foreign policy. "If the US government directed 10% of its military spending toward helping poor nations, he said, "the US would become a popular country".

Read more: Iran has no plans for new US talks, state media says

• Revolutionary Guard spokesperson Brigadier-General Hossein Mohebbi is speaking directly to the American public at a press conference.
• He says Iran is open to communicating with US citizens and that a platform for dialogue is needed.
• He says Iran's military budget is about 1% of America's.
• He accuses US leaders of neglecting their people, citing 39 million Americans in poverty.

A spokesperson for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is addressing the American public directly at a press conference Tuesday, saying Tehran is willing to open lines of communication with ordinary US citizens.

Brigadier-General Hossein Mohebbi said Americans lack an understanding of the region and that a channel should be set up so the two sides can talk. Iran is prepared to engage with American citizens, he said, and they are free to reach out in return.

Mohebbi also challenged the scale of Washington's global military footprint, saying there was no justification for the United States to operate 800 bases around the world.

He said the yearly budget of Iran's armed forces amounts to only about 1% of what the US spends on its military.

The spokesperson accused American leaders of ignoring the interests of their own population, pointing to the 39 million Americans who live below the poverty line.

Read more: Trump tells Fox News oil prices to return to pre-war levels

• Kataib Hezbollah demands Baghdad end its "air blockade" on Iran after Thursday.
• The Iran-backed group threatens measures including closing border crossings.
• It also warns it will shoot down "hostile" aircraft violating Iraqi airspace.
• The US-led coalition has a Wednesday deadline to end its mission in Iraq.

Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraqi armed group backed by Iran, has threatened to down any "hostile" aircraft that enters Iraq's airspace, as the US-led military coalition wraps up its pullout from the country this week.

The group would first issue a warning before opening fire, said Abu Mujahid al-Assaf, an official with the group, in a statement.

Al-Assaf also urged the Iraqi government to stop what he called an "air blockade" of Iran once Thursday has passed, and said the group could respond with steps including the closure of border crossings.

Iraq halted commercial flights to and from Iran on Friday, after Washington imposed sanctions on Iranian airlines.

The coalition must conclude its mission by Wednesday. Iraqi officials said US-led troops have started to leave a base in the northern city of Erbil.

Kataib Hezbollah emerged in the mid-2000s and belongs to the Popular Mobilisation Forces, an umbrella organisation of Iraqi Shia militias.

Read more: US military nears complete withdrawal from Iraq, ending two-decade deployment

• The answer concerns Tehran's proposal to open the Strait of Hormuz.
• Qatari intermediaries presented ideas and are to raise the matter with the US side again, he says.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he expected a formal answer on Tuesday from the United States to Tehran's proposal to open the Strait of Hormuz, state media reported.

Qatari intermediaries "presented ideas, and we discussed them; they are set to raise the matter with the American side once more, after which the final US response will be conveyed to us", Araghchi said late on Monday.

Iran's top diplomat, who is in New York for the UN General Assembly, said "the Qataris hope this will be done by tomorrow".

Read more: Iran has no plans for new US talks, state media says

• Axios reported that US officials claimed Trump is open to providing sanctions relief if Iran takes verifiable nuclear steps.
• Trump rejected the report as a "HOAX," asserting he offered Iran "NOTHING" and demanding an immediate retraction.
• Qatari and Pakistani envoys continue shuttle diplomacy with Iranian FM in New York to establish a deal framework.
• Washington requires upfront nuclear concessions, while Tehran seeks an end to the US naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.

US President Donald Trump has issued a sharp denial following a report by Axios alleging that his administration offered Iran relief from economic sanctions and the release of frozen funds in exchange for nuclear concessions.

Taking to Truth Social on Monday evening, Trump dismissed the news outlet's reporting.

"Axios just released a story that 'Trump' offered Sanctions Relief and Frozen Funds to Iran. This is untrue. I offered them NOTHING!" President Trump posted on Truth Social. "Axios' story, like most others, is a HOAX, used only for purposes of satisfying their Trump Derangement Syndrome. They should withdraw this fake story, IMMEDIATELY!"

The public denial came shortly after Axios reported that US officials claimed Trump was open to providing economic relief and releasing Iranian assets if Tehran agreed to take concrete steps addressing its nuclear program.

Axios report

According to US officials cited by Axios, the reported proposal emerged as Qatari and Pakistani mediators re-engaged in diplomatic efforts to broker an agreement between the two warring nations.

Qatari mediators met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in New York on Monday to discuss a Qatari proposal negotiated over recent days, with discussions with Trump administration officials expected on Monday or Tuesday.

A US official with knowledge of the indirect negotiations told Axios that discussions have been "positive and constructive," adding that Iran "has indicated they are flexible on the nuclear issues."

However, the official emphasized that substantial gaps persist between the two sides, reiterating that a final agreement will not be reached "unless the nuclear issues are addressed."

"The sides still remain apart on the timing of the commitments and who takes which steps first," the US official told Axios.

Diplomatic hurdles persist

The negotiations occur against the backdrop of contrasting priorities: Tehran seeks to focus discussions on easing the US naval blockade and maritime tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, whereas the Trump administration maintains that any resolution must prioritize Iranian nuclear concessions.

The US official cited by Axios indicated that Washington believes its strategic position is strengthening over time.

"The Strait of Hormuz traffic continues to rise and the blockade and sanctions continue to degrade Iran's position. The U.S. position gets stronger every day and President Trump remains patient and fully committed to his goal that Iran never have a nuclear weapon," the official stated to Axios.

The official added that the White House remains skeptical of Iranian assurances, pointing to an incident in July where Iranian forces fired at commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz in violation of a previous memorandum of understanding.

"The US needs assurances this time that Iran is serious and it's not just them trying to get out of the tough situation they are in," the official noted to Axios.

For coverage of the previous day, visit the link below.

Read more: Day 213 | Iran claims seizure of an underwater US drone in Hormuz, US denies the claim