Iran threatens retaliation if the US launches further strikes.
Trump and Vance signal progress in ceasefire negotiations.
Tehran says its seven-point proposal can begin within two days.
Iran said on Tuesday it would “respond forcefully” to any US strikes in the region or beyond, following reports that Washington had carried out fresh attacks on Qeshm Island.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran would retaliate if Washington carries out further strikes, warning that the two sides remain “far from reaching a deal” to end the conflict.
A US official, speaking anonymously, said the attacks were limited in scope and did not signal a return to large-scale military operations. Another official described them as defensive strikes, aimed at Iranian forces using surface-to-air missiles against US assets.
President Donald Trump had suggested in recent weeks that the US could launch fresh strikes on Iran after Tuesday’s midterm elections. However, his remarks at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Monday appeared to signal a possible change in his position.
With concerns growing that fighting could resume after Tuesday's US midterm elections, China and Russia on Monday opposed the possibility of fresh military action. The conflict has already taken a toll on the global economy.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump suggested that a deal with Iran could be nearing, as Tehran seeks to speed up efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement.
Speaking at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC, on Monday, Trump said, “It looks like that’s coming together very nicely.” He linked the progress to falling oil prices, adding, “That’s why I guess the oil prices dropped. People found out about it.”
JD Vance Positive On Deal Talks
US Vice President JD Vance said Washington had positive discussions with Tehran and that both he and President Donald Trump were hopeful of reaching a negotiated settlement.
"We’re going to keep on working at it,” Vance told reporters at Joint Base Andrews.
He said the talks had moved forward, adding, “We’ve certainly made some progress. We’ll see if we can make some more.”
Iranian officials said the country's seven-point proposal had not changed, but Tehran was now prepared to put it into action within two days instead of a week. The plan calls for quickly reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme.
Since the US and Israel launched the war on Iran on February 28, the conflict has disrupted the region on several fronts.
Iran has shut the strategic Strait of Hormuz, Washington has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports, Iranian drones and missiles have repeatedly targeted Gulf states, and fighting has flared up again in Yemen.
