US President Donald Trump has publicly raised the possibility of attacking additional targets in Iran, naming a mountain in Isfahan province that is suspected of housing an Iranian nuclear complex. Trump referred to the site as Kolang, also known as Pickaxe Mountain, and said it was something that 'has to be dealt with.' The mountain lies about 200 kilometres south of Tehran, near the Natanz nuclear facility. Iran denies that nuclear work is being carried out there.
Trump also said Washington was in no hurry to carry out further strikes. Talks on ending the Iran conflict were going 'well', he said, while describing the Iranians as 'not very reliable'. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had said earlier that Trump had not yet decided on new attacks and that the United States was open to a diplomatic solution. Rubio also said he did not know of a concrete timeframe for Qatar-led talks aimed at settling hostilities between Washington and Tehran.
Against that backdrop, an Israeli opposition figure, Golan, warned that the probability of another confrontation with Iran was rising. Golan wrote that Israel was now in a situation of recurring military confrontations with Iran and argued that Israel's security must not become a tool in Netanyahu's fight for political survival. The Wall Street Journal reported that Netanyahu had spoken by telephone with Trump on Saturday, before US preparations to resume bombardments in Iran. Speculation has long suggested that US forces could join Israeli strikes on Iran after the US midterm elections on 3 November.
Israel's parliamentary election on 27 October produced a stalemate. Netanyahu's right-wing conservative Likud and its bloc were ahead of the rival camp, but neither side had a clear majority to form a government. Long coalition negotiations and possibly another election are expected if no agreement is reached. Herzog announced talks on forming a government.
Iran's foreign minister, Araghtschi, said no meetings with US representatives were currently planned and that speculation to the contrary was merely media assumption. He confirmed for the first time officially that Tehran had received a letter from US Vice President J.D. Vance. Araghtschi said the message had been carefully reviewed and discussed in high-level talks. If Washington's aim was to sow discord, he said, that would be another misstep adding to earlier US mistakes. At the same time, he described the US side's effort to open a dialogue and reach a broader understanding as a positive step.
Iran reported that one person was injured after a US attack on two fishing boats. Media reports said Khamenei threatened a response without 'geographical restrictions'. Egypt warned of massive consequences from a new escalation. Oman reported an attack on a merchant ship, and a police representative said the Yemeni Houthi militia had attacked the presidential palace in Aden.
Mediation efforts continued. Pakistan's chief negotiator, Asim Munir, was described by a military spokesman as cautiously optimistic about the latest diplomatic efforts. The spokesman said Munir would not have travelled to Tehran twice in October if there were no positive signals, and that talks with Iran's leadership were a good sign. He also said there remained influential spoiling forces and opponents who believed the conflict benefited them, without identifying them. Munir's most recent visit to Tehran was on Monday, accompanied by representatives from Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Qatar has also been seeking de-escalation and recently presented a new proposal to settle the conflict.
Iran's foreign minister warned that Iran would respond massively if attacked. German leader Merz said the conflict must be solved diplomatically and through talks, including for Israel and its future government. He said the German government was coordinating and strengthening diplomatic efforts through many channels, maintained good relations with Israel and the Gulf states, and was appealing to them to resolve the conflict peacefully. Wadephul, speaking in Atlanta, warned of the danger of new attacks and said he saw possibilities that they could happen after the midterms. He argued that the period after the midterms must be a time for more negotiations and a diplomatic initiative, and that a new military round would not solve the problem. He appealed to Iran to come to the negotiating table now.
In Israel, Likud renewed allegations of fraud in the Knesset election. Karhi suggested that Likud could demand postponing the first session of the new parliament, scheduled for 10 November, saying the party could not swear in a Knesset in which lawmakers held seats 'paid for by Qatar'. Since the election, the former coalition has alleged fraud benefiting Arab parties and said money from Qatar and Turkey was used to increase participation by Palestinian Israelis. The director general of the Central Elections Committee said the investigation opened by the domestic intelligence service into possible manipulation did not concern a specific population and would not change the result. The intelligence service said the investigation was targeted and limited in scope.
Qatari negotiators arrived in Iran. Schuster, meanwhile, said an Israeli government change could facilitate cooperation, referring to ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. According to Schuster, if such voices disappear from government circles, joint action and joint plans, including peace efforts, could become significantly easier. Germany has an indirect mediating role, Schuster said, which could be easier if disruptive statements by right-wing radical ministers ceased.
Sources: FAZ.