Donald Trump says contacts with Iran are "productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran"

President Donald Trump said Thursday that the U.S. would not strike Iran before the Nov. 3 midterms and described contacts with Tehran in positive terms in a Truth Social post. He also said Iran cannot be allowed to get nuclear weapons and that a blockade would continue, claiming large oil volumes moved through the Strait of Hormuz and that Iran was not involved in any of those shipments. Talks appeared paused since Iran said last week it received a U.S. counteroffer proposing a reported seven-day ceasefire; it was unclear whether Washington accepted Iran's conditions for reopening the strait. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a formal reply was expected within days. Washington is moving additional forces, including a third aircraft carrier, as the USS Abraham Lincoln returns after an exceptionally long deployment.