Trump says he must decide between an Iran deal and renewed action

US President Donald Trump said in a Fox News interview on Sunday that he is weighing whether to make a deal with Iran or resume military action. "Do I finish it off, which would be very easy to do, or do I make a deal? It's getting to be decision time," he said.

Asked whether he planned to attack Iran, Trump first suggested it would be foolish to signal such a step, then said: "No. There will not be a strike today." CNBC reported that the last confirmed US strikes on Iran were on Sept. 1, and that Trump had earlier said strikes would not resume until after the Nov. 3 US midterm elections.

In the interview Trump named a deeply buried site linked to Iran's nuclear programme, called Pickaxe Mountain, as a possible target. He said the other three nuclear sites had been obliterated. He also repeated that the US controls the Strait of Hormuz, citing crude oil flows that he said had returned to pre-war levels. CNBC noted that Washington and Tehran both claim control of the route, that overall trade remains severely curtailed, and that energy prices remain elevated.

Senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan are to hold talks on regional security with Iranian officials in Tehran on Monday. Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistani army chief General Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin would take part, along with Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei.

Saudi Deputy Minister Rayed Krimly said the visit is part of efforts by the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement countries to de-escalate the crisis, and aims to support dialogue and the mediation of Qatar and Pakistan. CNBC reported that the three countries signed that agreement in August, and that an armed attack on one member would be treated as an attack on all. Qatari mediators also visited Tehran on Sunday, according to Reuters.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Tehran has not closed the window of diplomacy and that messages are being passed to the US through intermediaries. He said the US persists in unilateral demands and repeatedly uses the phrase "complete surrender", which he said no Iranian accepts. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a resumption of war would not change Iran's positions.

Tensions also reached Saudi Arabia. The Houthis claimed a new attack on Riyadh airport, while the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a ballistic missile and destroyed two launchers in Sanaa. Saudi Arabia postponed its Future Investment Initiative conference until 2027 after earlier strikes closed the airport for more than two weeks.