Iran has confirmed that indirect messages with the United States are still being exchanged, even as formal negotiations remain stalled and warnings of renewed military action continue to circulate. Iranian officials confirmed on 25 October that communication through intermediaries was continuing, according to Associated Press reporting.

Stalled talks, open channel

The confirmation matters because the two sides are not reported to be in direct, formal talks. Tehran has rejected demands for complete surrender, while Washington has kept open both the prospect of a deal and the threat of further strikes. US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that there would be no strike that day, while also describing a decision as approaching on whether to pursue an agreement or resume attacks.

Regional diplomacy is running in parallel. Qatari mediators travelled to Tehran on Sunday, and officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan were set to meet Iranian officials in Tehran on Monday, according to Reuters reporting based on sources with knowledge of the plans. Earlier mediation involving Pakistan and Qatar helped produce an interim agreement in June, but that deal quickly unravelled, which is why the latest contacts are being watched closely rather than treated as a breakthrough.

What to watch next

For now, the picture is one of pressure and contact at the same time: threats and military movements on one side, and messages and mediator visits on the other. Whether the indirect channel produces a new interim understanding, or gives way to escalation, remains unresolved, and neither side has announced a date for formal negotiations to resume.