Donald Trump discusses Iran conflict with Xi Jinping, signals Strait of Hormuz progress

Iran has disputed an Axios report that Tehran and Washington are preparing for another round of negotiations, with an Iranian source described by Fars News as “informed” saying the report was false.

The source also rejected an Al Jazeera report that Iran was sending technical experts to New York for negotiations, describing the claim as “untrue”.

According to Fars News, the source characterised Western reports about renewed talks as “manufacturing news” and said they were intended to influence markets and oil prices.

India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Friday said he held a detailed conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), focusing on the latest developments in the regional conflict.

In a post on X, EAM Jaishankar wrote: "Appreciate the conversation with FM @araghchi of Iran at the @UN #UNGA81. We discussed the latest developments regarding the regionalconflict. Will continue to be in touch."

The meeting highlights India's continuing engagement with key regional stakeholders amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The head of Yemen's governing body on Friday called for a general mobilisation to counter the Iran-backed Houthis, as the group ramps up attacks on government forces and their Saudi backer.

His call comes weeks after Yemen's fragmented government was dealt a major blow by the Houthis, who seized control of the country's entire Red Sea coast and are still fighting its forces in Yemen and attacking Saudi ships and territory.

"I call upon the sons of our great people to engage in general mobilisation and national mobilisation, to rally around their armed and security forces," Rashad Al Alimi, who heads the Presidential Leadership Council and is also Supreme Commander of the Yemeni Armed Forces, said in a speech.

Anyone defecting from the Houthis to the government side will be pardoned in an upcoming amnesty, he added.

Alimi heads Yemen's Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council, whose forces are fighting the Houthis with air support from the kingdom.

Over the week-end, the Houthis attacked Riyadh for the first time in years, marking a major escalation.

Earlier on Friday, the military chiefs of staff of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan held talks on how to support Riyadh as Yemen's Houthis ramp up attacks on the world's top crude exporter.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said at the UN Friday that further attacks on the Islamic holy city of Mecca would be a "red line" for Islamabad.

Pakistan maintains ties with Iran which backs the Houthi fighters responsible for firing missiles at Saudi Arabia where Mecca is situated.

But Islamabad is strategically close to Saudi, and entered into a defence agreement with the kingdom, and Turkey, last month.

"We once again condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the recent deplorable attacks by the Houthis against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," Sharif said at the UN's gathering of world leaders in New York.

"The attempted drone attack on the holy city of Mecca Al Mukarramah has outraged Muslims across the globe. Any threat to safety and sanctity... is a red line that must never be crossed. No Muslim can even dare to think of committing such a heinous (act)."

The United States said on Friday that Bahrain had confirmed its commitment to join the multinational Falcon Strike task force under US Central Command (CENTCOM) and to purchase additional munitions and air defence systems.

The move is part of Manama’s efforts to strengthen its defence capabilities and respond to growing security challenges in the region.

The announcement followed a military consultative meeting held in Manama on Wednesday and Thursday, according to a statement posted by the US Embassy on X.

Iran will make no concessions over its nuclear programme even if the United States accepts Tehran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported on Friday, citing a senior Iranian official.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the strategic waterway would remain closed until Washington met “all of Iran’s conditions”.

Under Tehran’s proposal, the US would lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports, release frozen Iranian funds and waive oil sanctions. In return, hostilities on all fronts would end within seven days.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has met with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, according to Iranian broadcaster IRIB. Footage shared by Iranian media showed the two officials shaking hands before sitting down for talks.

US President Donald Trump said Friday he had discussed the Iran war with visiting Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, following allegations that Beijing has been supporting Tehran.

"We did, we did," Trump said when asked if they had talked about Iran, as he showed Xi around the National Archives in Washington on the last day of the Chinese leader's state visit.

Asked if he thought there would be progress on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Trump replied: "I think we're going to do great."

The United Nations Security Council on Friday condemned escalating attacks on Saudi Arabia by Yemeni Houthi rebels in a rare show of unity from the UN's top body.

The Houthis have imposed a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, hitting its tankers and territory and seizing swathes of Yemen's Red Sea coast, which is vital for Saudi oil exports, causing energy prices to jump.

"The members of the Security Council condemned, in the strongest terms, continued Houthi attacks against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including attacks impacting civilian and energy infrastructure, which have resulted in the injury of civilians, including women and children," said the rotating president of the Council, French UN envoy Jerome Bonnafont, delivering a joint statement.

The Security Council "further stressed the importance of acting in accordance with international law, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and of upholding navigation rights and freedoms."

The body "demanded the Houthis immediately cease their military escalation and their attacks impacting civilians and civilian objects," according to the statement.

Iraq's Najaf airport, a top destination for Shia pilgrims, suspended all Iranian flights on Friday, enforcing US sanctions and leaving travellers scrambling for solutions.

Airport director Hussein Muhanna told AFP that "all flights were halted between Iran and Najaf airport following a directive from the prime minister's office to the governor" of Najaf.

"All Iraqi airports, including in Kurdistan, have enforced the ban," a government source told AFP.

The airport in the holy city of Najaf, south of Baghdad, is a major hub for Iranian flights and their main destination in Iraq.

They mainly carry Iraqi Shia pilgrims to Iran's holy cities or Iranians visiting sacred sites in Iraq. The flights also serve Iraqi students studying in Iran, and patients seeking medical treatment there.

Instead of a flight lasting only a few hours, passengers will have now to take a land journey of at least 12 hours, depending on the destination.

Wall Street stocks climbed early Friday near the end of a volatile week as oil prices dipped on talk of progress on US-Iran negotiations toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Markets greeted a report Thursday that suggested progress towards a resolution. That optimism carried through to Friday, analysts said.

Peace prospects "took a huge backward leap following bellicose speeches from both sides at the UN General Assembly in New York," said a note from David Morrison at Trade Nation. "But it appears that the tone has softened, and this has been reflected by a drop in oil prices and the US dollar."

About 15 minutes into trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.5 percent at 51,600.06.

The broad-based S&P 500 gained 0.3 percent to 7,729.71, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 0.4 percent to 27,038.57.

A US-sanctioned oil tanker hijacked by Somali pirates last month has been rescued after being chased down and ambushed by maritime police, officials in the semi-autonomous Puntland region told AFP on Friday.

The Seamull tanker, also known as Sibu 1, is sanctioned by the United States as part of Iran's "shadow fleet", accused of secretly exporting Iranian oil. It was seized by pirates off the coast of Yemen on August 20 and brought to Somali waters.

Puntland authorities said they had started pursuing the tanker earlier this week, along with three others being held off-shore near the town of Bander Beyla, forcing the pirates to head south along the Somali coast.

"While they were anchored south of Garacad, a large ship used by Puntland ambushed Sibu 1 out at sea," a security official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"Sibu 1 was caught off-guard," added another official.

One pirate was killed, four wounded and 15 captured in the operation, while the 20-strong crew was safely rescued, Puntland authorities said in a statement, adding that one police officer was injured.

The three other hijacked tankers - Honour 25, MT Eureka, and MT Asana - are still being held by pirates, who have moved south towards the port town of Hobyo, part of neighbouring Galmudug state, the officials told AFP.

Honour 25 and MT Eureka were carrying fuel worth millions of dollars, they said, and pirates had been observed off-loading barrels to sell on the black market.

Qatar's foreign ministry said top diplomat Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, a mediator in the Middle East war, spoke on Friday with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian about de-escalation and conditions for dialogue.

The pair met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Pezeshkian invited Sheikh Mohammed to his residence where they "reviewed the latest developments in the region and the efforts being made to de-escalate tensions and create a conducive environment for dialogue", the foreign ministry said in a statement.

UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan held meetings with a number of foreign ministers in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

During the meetings, Sheikh Abdullah reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to strengthening developed and prosperous relations with brotherly and friendly countries around the world.

He said the UAE looks forward to further consolidating these relations in ways that contribute to sustainable development efforts and support shared prosperity.

The meetings also focused on strengthening cooperation and advancing common interests between the UAE and the participating countries.

Iraq's Najaf airport suspended all Iranian flights on Friday, enforcing US sanctions, the airport director told AFP.

Airport director Hussein Muhanna told AFP that "all flights were halted between Iran and Najaf airport following a directive from the prime minister's office to the governor" of Najaf.

The airport in the holy city of Najaf, south of Baghdad, is a major hub for Iranian flights.

Iranian airlines were suspended at 02:00 am (2300 GMT Thursday), the airport director said.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the country’s “enemies came at it with full force” during the war.

He said Iran’s armed forces and people had “taught the enemy a valuable lesson”, while calling for greater national unity.

Ghalibaf also said Iran would overcome “existing dangers and seditions” under the leadership of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Bahrain and the United States have discussed ways to strengthen military coordination and defence cooperation during the 21st meeting of the Bahrain-US Joint Military Committee.

The meeting was held at the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF), with Lieutenant General Abdullah bin Hassan Al Nuaimi, Bahrain’s Minister of Defence Affairs, leading the Bahraini delegation.

Michael P. DiMino IV, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Near East and Central Asia, chaired the US delegation.

The two sides reviewed items on the committee’s agenda aimed at further enhancing military coordination and defence cooperation between Bahrain and the US.

They also discussed bilateral relations and ways to expand cooperation, particularly in the military and defence sectors.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Bahrain and the US signed the minutes of the 21st Bahrain-US Joint Military Committee meeting.

The meeting was attended by Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Adviser for Financial and Technical Affairs at the BDF General Command; Stephanie L. Hallett, US Ambassador to Bahrain; and senior BDF officers.

Turkey’s defence chief is heading to Riyadh for urgent talks with his Saudi and Pakistani counterparts as the kingdom seeks support under a joint defence agreement, the Turkish Defence Ministry said on Friday.

Chief of General Staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu will travel to the Saudi capital for the meeting under the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement.

The talks come after Saudi Arabia said the three military chiefs would discuss ways to support the kingdom following attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis.

Ankara has also said it is ready to help meet Saudi Arabia’s military needs if required.

Nine vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, down from 14 the previous day, according to the latest ship-tracking data reported by Reuters.

The figures may not capture all vessel movements, as some ships could be sailing with their transponders switched off.

The rolling 10-day average is around 18 vessels crossing the strait.

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband warned Iran that the UK would not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on British soil, Sky News reported on Thursday.

Miliband made the remarks during a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

The two discussed the Middle East war, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and threats from Iran-linked groups in Britain, according to the report.

US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz criticised diplomats who walked out of the UN General Assembly hall during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address.

In a post on X, Waltz said it was “terrible” to see ambassadors leave during Netanyahu’s speech, adding that fewer diplomats had walked out during Iran’s address the previous day.

Dozens of diplomats left the hall as Netanyahu took the podium.

Asian markets were mixed on Friday as high oil prices, rising bond yields and uncertainty over the Middle East war weighed on sentiment.

• Tokyo rose 1.2%, while Hong Kong fell 1.8%.

• Brent crude fell 0.7% to $105.82 after surging more than 3% Thursday.

• Japan’s 10-year bond yield hit a 30-year high.

• Investors remained cautious amid concerns over oil supply, inflation and market volatility.

The US and China extended their trade truce by two months to January 10, but key disputes over tariffs, agriculture, rare earths and technology remain unresolved.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, according to Russia’s Foreign Ministry.

The two ministers discussed regional and international issues, with a focus on developments involving Iran, the ministry said.

They also discussed implementing bilateral agreements reached by Russian and Iranian presidents earlier this month.

Both sides stressed that a diplomatic settlement was the only way to end tensions in the Middle East, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The ministry said they also described diplomacy as the only alternative to resolve the crisis they attributed to what it called unlawful actions by the US and Israel.

Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that Tehran wanted the US to return to the June memorandum of understanding before the November midterm elections. Dr Pezeshkian told NBC News and other media organisations in New York gathered for the UN General Assembly late on Thursday (Sept. 24): “We wish Americans to return to the MOU before the midterms”... “We don’t want it to get to the midterm elections."

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband pressed Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, threats linked to Iranian groups in Britain and the detention of British nationals during talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in New York on Thursday.

The meeting came as the strategic waterway remains at the centre of the wider US-Iran conflict and as Tehran has set conditions for reopening the strait. Iranian officials have said the waterway could reopen if Washington meets its demands, while senior security officials have warned the US has only four to five days to respond.

Miliband made clear that Britain supports freedom of navigation through Hormuz and wants a diplomatic solution to the conflict. He also reaffirmed London's support for Saudi Arabia, a key British ally that has come under attack from Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen.

Kuwait and Bahrain on Thursday condemned missile attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels targeting Saudi Arabia. Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry described the strikes as “hostile aggressions” against Saudi Arabia in a statement posted on X.

Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry said Saudi Arabia’s security and stability were “an integral part of Bahrain’s national security.” The Saudi-led coalition said its forces intercepted six ballistic missiles launched toward the Saudi cities of Taif and Yanbu, a Red Sea port.

The attacks came amid heightened regional tensions linked to the wider US-Iran conflict.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi condemned Iran’s attacks on Jordan and Gulf Arab states during a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi in New York on Thursday.

Safadi called for an immediate end to the attacks and said Jordan would continue taking all necessary measures to protect its territory, sovereignty and citizens, state news agency Petra reported.

The two ministers also discussed efforts to reach a sustainable US-Iran ceasefire. Safadi stressed the need to restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and pursue diplomacy to end regional escalation.

Despite rising political anxiety over the Iran war, senators on Thursday narrowly rejected a war powers resolution seeking to halt President Donald Trump 's military action, which has been largely blamed for the spike in gas prices and become a flashpoint in the midterm election.

The Senate tally, 49-50, coming days after Trump's bombastic address to the United Nations in which he threatened to "annihilate" Iran, was likely the last chance for lawmakers to go on record about the war ahead of November. More Republicans are peeling way from the president as the war drags on, a rare slap back to Trump, as they campaign for control of Congress. The Senate outcome fell short, with four GOP senators joining most Democrats in favor of the resolution.

"They have been carrying water for this ridiculous and illegal war for months and months and months and not listening to their constituents," said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who pushed the war powers resolution forward.

Day 209: Iran's Pezeshkian vows no surrender as US talks loom

Day 208: Trump tells Arab leaders Iran deal gaining momentum

Day 207: Trump says US, Iranian officials had 'productive' talks

Day 206: Iran warns it will change war’s ‘geography’ if invaded

Day 205: Trump says Houthis agree not to fight US: Fox News

Day 204: Trump signs Russia-Iran sanctions law; Saudi Arabia on alert

Day 203: Oil prices ease as Trump signals possible path to talks

Day 202: Iran wants to make a deal, Tehran 'not ready': Trump

Day 201: Houthis: Saudi Arabia launched 40 strikes in Yemen

Day 200: Houthi attacks injure Saudi civilians