Iran Raises Military Readiness and Stands Firm on Negotiating Terms as US Midterm Elections Reach a Critical Stage

Daily News

Summary:

Iran demands a clear US response to its seven conditions before reopening the Strait of Hormuz; Democrats are poised to regain control of the House of Representatives in the US midterm elections...

Headlines

1. Israel tells the US that Iran is considering the use of chemical weapons

2. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps remains on high alert

3. Iran demands a clear US response to its seven conditions before reopening the Strait of Hormuz

4. Iran says no new progress has been made in US-Iran talks

5. US midterm elections: Democrats poised to regain control of the House

6. US-Iran differences remain wide as Qatar steps up mediation to prevent further escalation

7. US labor demand unexpectedly rebounds, with job openings rising by 333,000

Detailed

Israel Tells the US That Iran Is Considering the Use of Chemical Weapons

Israel has warned US intelligence officials that Iran may be preparing to use chemical weapons, but the claim has sparked significant divisions within the Trump administration. Some US officials take the threat seriously, while others suspect that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is attempting to draw the United States back into a large-scale military operation. Officials from Gulf states have also questioned Israel's assessment.

Meanwhile, the US Central Command has reportedly drawn up plans for a strike as early as November 4, although President Donald Trump has not yet approved a new round of attacks. As military deployments continue, diplomatic efforts are also underway to restore navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Remains on High Alert

In a statement issued on the evening of November 3 local time, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that the United States' actions had exposed its hostility toward Iran, as well as its objectives of overthrowing the Iranian government and dividing Iranian territory.

The IRGC solemnly declared that all orders issued by Iran's Supreme Leader, who is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, at recent meetings had been placed on the agenda. The aim is to pursue a policy of maximum deterrence with full commitment.

The current priorities are to maintain a high state of readiness, update the list of enemy targets, place both the enemy's tangible and intangible assets within striking range, and respond swiftly and effectively to threats of any level or type.

The IRGC stressed that Iranian forces, guided by firm conviction and comprehensive combat readiness, would determine the enemy's ultimate fate. As Iran's Supreme Leader has stated, the timing and conditions for ending the enemy's offensive will be determined by Iran's armed forces and its people.

Iran Demands a Clear US Response to Its Seven Conditions Before Reopening the Strait of Hormuz

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said on social media on November 3 that the US response to Iran's rights and demands had failed to convince Tehran. The United States must provide a complete and explicit response to Iran's seven conditions and implement them before the Strait of Hormuz can be reopened.

Rezaei said in October that, over the previous two months, the United States had asked Iran to submit proposals through Pakistan, Qatar and Iraq. Iran put forward seven conditions and made it clear to Washington that the Strait of Hormuz would not be opened to the United States and no negotiations would take place unless those conditions were met.

Iran has not yet publicly disclosed the details of the seven conditions.

Iran Says No New Progress Has Been Made in US-Iran Talks

On November 3 local time, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson and negotiating team member Esmaeil Baghaei said that no new progress had been made in US-Iran talks, while mediators continued exchanging messages between the two sides. Meanwhile, Iran's defensive readiness remained at the highest level.

Baghaei said that past experience had made Iran cautious about the United States' sincerity in diplomacy. However, he stressed that Iran would not miss any opportunity to use diplomatic means to safeguard its legitimate rights and demands, as well as regional security.

US Midterm Elections: Democrats Poised to Regain Control of the House

Americans went to the polls on Tuesday to vote in the midterm elections, which will serve as a test of public opinion on President Donald Trump's second term. Polls and nonpartisan analysts broadly favor Democrats in their bid to take control of the House of Representatives from Republicans, while control of the Senate remains uncertain.

The Senate contest is being fought across nearly 10 closely contested statewide races, most of them in traditionally Republican strongholds. In a televised interview on Tuesday morning, Trump touted what he described as his administration's achievements and expressed optimism about the prospects of fellow Republicans.

Vote counting will begin on election night. US media expect the process to take days or even weeks. The outcome of the House race is likely to become clear relatively early, while the Senate results may take longer to emerge.

All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 of the Senate's 100 seats are up for election. Voters are also choosing governors in 36 states, along with state legislators and other local officials in some states.

Democrats must gain four seats in the Senate and three in the House to wrest control of both chambers from Republicans. If they take control of Congress, Democrats could serve as a counterweight to Trump's policy agenda during the final two years of his presidency. The battle for control is concentrated largely in states and districts where Trump previously won by substantial margins.

Against a backdrop of elevated inflation and rising living costs, the midterm elections represent a difficult midterm test for the Trump administration's second term.

US-Iran Differences Remain Wide as Qatar Steps Up Mediation to Prevent Further Escalation

A senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday that Iran and the United States remained far from reaching an agreement to end their war. Meanwhile, Qatar, acting as a mediator, is intensifying its efforts to bridge the differences and prevent a renewed escalation after the US midterm elections.

A US official said that the United States had carried out a defensive strike on Iran's Qeshm Island early Tuesday, targeting surface-to-air missiles used to attack US assets. Another official said the operation was limited in scope and did not signal a resumption of large-scale military operations.

Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said that the US response to Iran's rights and demands had failed to convince Tehran. He reiterated that the United States must respond fully and explicitly to Iran's seven conditions and implement them before the Strait of Hormuz can be reopened.

US Labor Demand Unexpectedly Rebounds, with Job Openings Rising by 333,000

The number of job openings in the United States unexpectedly rose to a four-month high in September, while layoffs fell to their lowest level in more than a year, suggesting that labor demand strengthened ahead of the fourth quarter.

Data released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics on Tuesday showed that job openings increased by 333,000 in September to 7.52 million, exceeding the revised August figure of 7.19 million and the forecasts of all economists surveyed.

The report also showed that layoffs fell to their lowest level since March 2025, while the number of workers quitting their jobs increased. The quit rate, which measures the share of employees who voluntarily leave their jobs each month, rose to 2.1%, its highest level in more than a year.

The increase in job openings and hiring is a positive sign, but the rebound will need to persist for several months before it can be confirmed that the labor market is entering a stronger growth phase.

For more than a year, many employers have been reluctant to expand or reduce their workforces amid high prices and geopolitical uncertainty. However, as economic growth accelerates and consumer spending remains resilient, businesses may be gradually regaining confidence and beginning to expand their payrolls.

Economic Calendar

18:00 (UTC+8) Eurozone October Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP)

21:15 (UTC+8) US October ADP Employment Change

21:20 (UTC+8) ECB Chief Economist Philip Lane Speaks

23:00 (UTC+8) US October ISM Services PMI

Time TBA (UTC+8) 2026 US Midterm Elections

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Iran Raises Military Readiness and Stands Firm on Negotiating Terms as US Midterm Elections Reach a Critical Stage

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