Following talks with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, US President Donald Trump spoke of “positive momentum” toward an agreement ending the war with Iran, largely ruling out a resumption of strikes. In parallel with diplomatic efforts, Saudi Arabia announced that an oil pipeline had been targeted, but its operations were not affected, and Riyadh schools decided to return to distance education amid the continued escalation with the Houthis in Yemen. France also accused the Iranian Revolutionary Guard of being behind cyber attacks, threatening to impose European sanctions.
Published on: 10/11/2026 - 01:49
US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that there is "positive momentum" towards reaching an agreement with Iran to end the war in the Middle East, following talks with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the White House.
His statements came in conjunction with the continued escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, and the targeting of an oil pipeline in the Kingdom, while diplomatic moves continue to contain the crisis.
Trump talks about progress towards an agreement with Iran
Trump described his talks with the Qatari Prime Minister as “excellent,” explaining that they mainly dealt with the Iranian issue, and stressing that Washington sees positive indicators toward ending the conflict.
He said on his Truth Social platform, “We see positive momentum towards ending this conflict,” stressing the need to protect American interests and not allow Iran to possess a nuclear weapon.
He added that Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and other countries prefer to continue the blockade imposed on Iran at sea and by land, including the new “Iron Gate” operation.
Although he confirmed Washington's readiness to resume military strikes, Trump considered this "highly unlikely" after he made similar statements to CNN on Sunday.
The US President acknowledged that the war with Iran was one of the reasons why Republicans lost the midterm elections, which gave Democrats control of both chambers of Congress.
On the other hand, Tehran defended a proposal to relaunch negotiations to end the war within two days, considering it the most logical of the offers presented, after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described some of its conditions as “scandalous and ridiculous.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced the cessation of mediator efforts following the results of the US elections.
Targeting a Saudi oil pipeline and escalation in Yemen
In Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Energy announced on Monday that the East-West oil pipeline was targeted in the Medina region, causing a limited fire that emergency teams were able to extinguish.
The Ministry confirmed that there were no casualties or that the line's operations were affected, without specifying the party responsible for the attack.
The importance of this line increases with Iranian restrictions on navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, as it allows Saudi Arabia to transport oil from its eastern fields to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea for export without passing through the strait.
The incident came the day after the Houthis announced the targeting of facilities in Riyadh, including the King Abdullah Financial Center, where a building belonging to Aramco was hit by shrapnel, according to the Saudi authorities.
As the threats continued, educational institutions in Riyadh informed parents of the resumption of distance learning as of Tuesday, one day after returning to in-person education.
On Monday, the Saudi authorities issued a warning of a “hostile air threat” in the capital, before lifting it minutes later.
In Yemen, the Saudi-led coalition announced the destruction of facilities it said the Houthis were using to manufacture ballistic missile components, missile fuel, and electronics, without specifying the locations of the raids.
On the other hand, the Houthi-run Al-Masirah channel reported that Saudi aircraft targeted Hodeidah International Airport.
The death toll from the Saudi raids on Sanaa Governorate rose on Saturday to 44 people, including more than 20 children, according to the Houthi Ministry of Health.
The escalation comes after a truce that had lasted since 2022 collapsed in July, and battles resumed between the Houthis and the Yemeni government forces supported by Riyadh.
Diplomatic moves and warnings of the expanding crisis
On the diplomatic level, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman stressed during a phone call the need to continue efforts to contain the crisis and protect maritime navigation.
In turn, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he conveyed to Trump Ankara's concerns about renewed attacks on Iran, stressing the importance of dialogue and diplomacy.
In a related context, China expressed its desire to strengthen its relations with Tehran, stressing that the worsening conflict in the Middle East cannot be resolved by force.
As for France, its Foreign Minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, accused the Iranian Revolutionary Guard of being behind electronic attacks that targeted cooling systems in about 700 French stores, announcing the summoning of the Iranian ambassador and moving to impose European sanctions on those responsible.
France 24/ Agencies
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