Doha

Democrats won control of the House of Representatives and the Senate in the US midterm elections, a result that sends a message calling for a check on President Donald Trump's power. Vice President JD Vance said voter opposition to the war with Iran caused the Republican loss, and Trump said he largely agrees. The Iran conflict began after US-Israeli airstrikes in late February 2026 and has cost at least $38 billion and killed 19 Americans. Trump said he would soon decide whether to make a deal with Tehran or order new strikes, and he called Qatar's emir to discuss ending the conflict.

Melania Trump will host Russian and Ukrainian representatives at the White House on Thursday, a gathering that will recognise a recent six-day humanitarian ceasefire in Oleshky. Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev is expected to attend, and Ukraine's human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets plans to meet her. A trilateral meeting of US, Ukrainian and Russian officials is planned for 10-11 Nov in Abu Dhabi, the first such talks since February. The US will lead the renewed negotiations there.

US forces struck Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz on 2 Nov, which US officials describe as limited defensive action after Iranian surface-to-air missiles targeted a US aircraft. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps says it fired missiles at US aircraft, and Iranian state media IRNA reported several explosions across the island on Monday. Iranian negotiators left the Doha talks with Qatari mediators on 1 Nov, and Iran's foreign ministry says the exit was not caused by problems in the negotiations and that exchanges with Washington continue. A senior Iranian official says a deal remains out of reach. Oil prices rose slightly after the strikes.