Trump Says Few Iran Targets Remain as Qatar-Mediated Talks Continue Before U.S. Midterms
Photo: The HinduPresident Donald Trump said Saturday, October 31, 2026, at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, that the United States has destroyed much of Iran's military but still has to deal with one or two sites, which he said could be done in 10 minutes. He said talks to end the war, which the U.S. and Israel began in February, were going fine but that Iran is not reliable, and that Washington is not in a hurry. He named Pickaxe Mountain, a suspected underground nuclear complex that Iran says is not used for nuclear work. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier that Trump had made no decision on new strikes and that the U.S. is open to diplomacy.
Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned of an immediate, geographically unrestricted response to any new attack. On Sunday, Iranian negotiators were in Doha for a third straight day of talks with Qatari mediators, an official told Reuters. Trump has hinted at resuming strikes after the November 3 midterms. A Qatari gas tanker, the Al Mayeda, was hit Friday by unidentified objects; no one was hurt and the ship remains operational, Qatar's news agency said.
Left-leaning CBS News headlines Trump's remark about remaining targets, but its report opens on the Doha talks, the Reuters-sourced official, an Iranian army spokesman's warning that a new war could run longer, and the tanker attack. Right-leaning outlets center more on Trump and the strike threat. The Washington Examiner headlines his not being in much of a hurry, quotes his claims about destroyed Iranian equipment, and cites Khamenei and the armed forces chief, Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi. It calls Iran terrorist-sponsoring and dates the last confirmed strikes to August. The New York Post headlines a race to revive talks and cites reports of a preliminary framework on nuclear issues and Hormuz, with financial incentives, plus Axios on 12 hours of mediation. It dates the last strike to September. The Hindu largely tracks Trump's remarks, adding Rubio's comments.
How the sides differ Left sources lead with the Doha talks and Iranian warnings; right sources stress Trump's no-hurry stance and possible post-midterm strikes, and also differ on when the last strike occurred.
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CBS News headlines Trump's remark on remaining targets but opens on Iranian negotiators in Doha, quoting a Reuters-cited official and an Iranian army spokesman, and reports the Qatari tanker attack.
The Hindu focuses on Trump's Mar-a-Lago remarks, including Pickaxe Mountain and Iran's denial of nuclear work there, and adds Rubio's statement that no strike decision has been made.
The Washington Examiner stresses Trump's no-hurry stance and Iranian threats from Khamenei and Abdollahi; the New York Post stresses revived Qatar talks, reported framework terms and possible strikes after the midterms.