A Qatari delegation arrived in Tehran on Friday to meet senior Iranian officials, part of a renewed push for a U.S.–Iran agreement that is coordinated with Washington after Vice President JD Vance sent a letter to Iran’s security chief. The talks follow Qatar’s presentation of a draft peace plan to Iran on Sunday, which Tehran rejected as unacceptable while insisting the U.S. first lift its port blockade and oil export sanctions. The United States wants nuclear issues addressed from the start of negotiations. Meanwhile, Iran has halted several tankers and reported mine strikes in the Strait of Hormuz.
Scott Bessent
3 stories since 29 October 2026, newest first
31 October 2026
30 October 2026
Nvidia says it found no basis for a New York Times report that Alice Huang, a former senior executive at Singapore-based data centre firm Megaspeed, passed information to Chinese intelligence and was tied to CEO Jensen Huang. The report says U.S. intelligence monitored Huang for more than a year over suspected diversion of advanced AI chips to China and that President Donald Trump was briefed about a year ago but chose not to act. China's Foreign Ministry dismissed the report as groundless speculation. Nvidia says earlier Megaspeed smuggling claims were investigated and debunked last year.
29 October 2026
President Donald Trump defended the White House renovation, saying he used the finest artisans, after former President Barack Obama likened the decor to a Cheesecake Factory. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent then visited a Cheesecake Factory in Washington, D.C., criticized Obama’s comment, ordered his regular French Dip Cheeseburger priced at $22.95, and posted a recommendation for the Cheeseburger Spring Rolls on X. The restaurant chain reported record quarterly revenue with sales up 15% and a stock that has more than doubled this year.