Iran denies talks with US as Washington charges three over UK base plot

Tehran rejects Doha summit reports

Iran's foreign ministry and top security officials have dismissed reports of planned face-to-face talks in Doha between Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei and US Vice President JD Vance, calling the claims baseless speculation.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that no arrangements exist for high-level meetings in Qatar. Rezaei, who serves as secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, warned that Washington must explicitly accept seven conditions outlined by Tehran before any negotiations can take place or the Strait of Hormuz can reopen.

The diplomatic denial comes amid ongoing regional instability, with international partners closely monitoring the situation to ensure maritime security and trade flow through key Middle Eastern transit routes.

US unseals charges over UK airbase plot

As diplomatic claims were disputed in Tehran, the US Department of Justice unsealed an indictment charging three Iran-backed operatives with planning terrorist attacks across Europe and the UK. The indictment alleges that Iranian agents orchestrated a plot targeting RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, where American forces are stationed.

Federal prosecutors named Iranian national Mohsen Mohajeri, Iraqi national Mohammad Ali al-Hassani, and dual Iranian-Iraqi citizen Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi. The trio is accused of directing violence under the proxy name Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamiya, which claimed responsibility for 18 attacks in Western Europe during spring 2026.

British authorities arrested seven men in September after three suspicious vans carrying barrels of fuel were intercepted near the RAF Fairford perimeter following reports from a local farmer.

Trump signals military pause as sanctions weigh

In Washington, US President Donald Trump indicated that further large-scale military action against Iran is currently on hold, telling reporters at the White House that the conflict is militarily effectively over for now. Trump noted that while US forces remain prepared, Washington is keeping the status quo following discussions with Qatari mediator Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.

However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that American economic sanctions against Tehran will intensify, stating that the Iranian regime is facing extraordinary economic pain that will compound over time. The diplomatic shift caused international oil prices to retreat, with Brent crude dropping below $90 a barrel for the first time since August.