Iran says messages still reach Washington as Trump ties the war's end to nuclear capability

First published Oct. 25, 2026, at 1:35 p.m. ET as a Live News report. Updated at 6:45 p.m. ET with analysis and market context.

Key figure: Brent crude, Friday settlement: $116.72, ▲ +3.1%, highest since Apr. 29. Source: Reuters, CNBC, Oct. 23, 2026.

Key points

• Iran says messages still pass to the US through mediators; Qatari mediators were in Tehran Sunday.[1][2][14][15]
• Trump said the war won’t be resolved until it is certain Iran has no nuclear capabilities.[5][6]
• CENTCOM says 3,000-plus ships crossed Hormuz with US support in six months; JMIC rates the threat severe.[7][8][9][10]
• June’s deal aimed to lift the US blockade of Iranian ports; the JMIC advisory says it is still enforced.[3][16][10]

What it means

Sunday’s Qatari visit comes as Iran says it is still passing messages to the US through mediators. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told Germany’s ARD that “messages are being conveyed through mediators,” Iran’s state broadcaster Press TV and the Associated Press reported. The AP said talks had appeared stalled for weeks.[1][2]

The talks build on a June interim agreement, brokered with help from Pakistan and Qatar, that aimed to restore Hormuz shipping, lift the US blockade and start broader nuclear talks, the AP and Al Jazeera reported. Iran’s envoy to Pakistan said Saturday that Tehran remained open to talks under that agreement.[3][16][17][4]

Trump told Fox 2 Detroit on Sunday that the war would not be resolved until it was certain Iran had no nuclear capabilities, the station reported; Iran International also reported the remarks.[5][6]

Accounts of the strait differ

US Central Command said more than 3,000 commercial vessels crossed Hormuz with its support over six months. The JMIC advisory published by UKMTO rated the threat severe, and Baghaei said the strait “is not safe,” Press TV reported.[7][8][9][10][1]

Where oil stands

Brent settled Friday at $116.72 a barrel, up 3.1%, after Houthi attacks and an oil spill, Reuters reported. WTI settled at $103.27, up 3.8%; CNBC also reported both settlements. ICE Brent futures reopened at 6 p.m. ET Sunday, per ICE’s schedule.[11][12][13]

Exhibit 1. June deal aims vs. Sunday’s status June interim agreement vs. status on Oct. 25, 2026

Item	June aim	Oct. 25 status
Hormuz shipping	Restore	Threat rated severe
US blockade of Iranian ports	Lift	Still enforced
Broader nuclear talks	Begin	Messages via mediators, Iran says

Source: AP, Al Jazeera, JMIC advisory via UKMTO, Press TV. Table: New Street.[3][16][4][10][1][2]

Exhibit 2. Three accounts of the same strait Statements made on Oct. 25, 2026

Source	What it said
CENTCOM	3,000-plus vessels crossed with US support in six months; over 95% passed safely
JMIC advisory	Threat level severe; US blockade of Iranian ports enforced
Iran’s foreign ministry	Strait “is not safe” because of US and Israeli action

Source: CENTCOM, JMIC advisory via UKMTO, Press TV. Table: New Street.[7][8][9][10][1]

Notes

• Sources: accessed Oct. 25, 2026, between 6:35 and 6:45 p.m. ET, except refs. 10 and 14, accessed between 1:36 and 2:00 p.m. ET for the Live News report, and refs. 16 and 17, accessed between 6:45 and 6:55 p.m. ET.
• Sunday-evening moves in ICE Brent and in CME E-mini stock-index futures were checked between 6:35 and 6:45 p.m. ET. No move was confirmed by two independent sources (or one primary source) in that window, so none is reported. Times converted to ET (UTC-4 on Oct. 25, 2026; Israel UTC+2; CET UTC+1).