Tehran, Riyadh: Middle East powers meet as oil holds near $115

Senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan arrived in Tehran Monday for talks on regional security. The meeting follows eight months of war in the Middle East and recent threats of renewed attacks against Iran. Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistani army chief General Asim Munir, and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin will meet with Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei. Iranian deputy secretary Ali Bagheri Kani confirmed the lineup in a state television interview.

The diplomatic push comes as Brent crude oil hovers around $115 a barrel. Prices surged last week over supply concerns linked to conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Demand is rising as the Northern Hemisphere enters winter. A tanker was struck by an unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, according to the U.K. navy’s Maritime Trade Operations center. The vessel was disabled, but the crew was reported safe.

President Donald Trump said Sunday he is deciding between an agreement with Tehran or taking action to finish the conflict. He told Fox News that the U.S. may launch another major strike campaign after next Tuesday’s midterm elections. Trump claimed the U.S. now controls the Strait of Hormuz. He also criticized the 2015 nuclear deal signed by former President Barack Obama.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that new U.S. strikes would not change Tehran’s positions. He stated that whether there is war or not, Iranian policies remain the same. Araghchi noted that previous attacks achieved no different outcome. Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei added that indirect negotiations continue via intermediaries despite the stalled direct talks.

In Israel, Defense Minister Israel Katz denied reports of a rift between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and army chief Eyal Zamir over new strike directives. Katz called the reports entirely baseless. Netanyahu warned that Iran and its proxies might attempt to disrupt Tuesday’s legislative elections. He said the Israeli army is prepared in both defense and offense. Netanyahu is facing a tight race in the polls.

The Saudi-led coalition said Monday it intercepted a ballistic missile fired by Yemen’s Houthis toward Riyadh. The Houthis claimed they successfully targeted the capital’s international airport hours after it resumed flights. The airport had been closed for more than two weeks following earlier strikes. The closure forced the postponement of Saudi Arabia’s flagship investment conference until 2027. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree also claimed drone strikes on oil pumping stations.