Iran says intensive talks with US underway to avert war
Tehran offers to reopen Strait of Hormuz if Washington meets its demands
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Iranian motorists drive past a poster of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei in central Tehran on Sunday. AFP-Yonhap
Photograph: The Korea Times (embedded from source)
What this story says
- Iran stated that intensive indirect negotiations are occurring with the United States, involving mediators like Qatar and Pakistan.
- Tehran has offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy corridor, provided its conditions are met by Washington.
- The diplomatic push coincides with the upcoming US midterm elections, with Iran's First Vice President suggesting US messages acknowledge Iran's victory.
- Oil prices saw a significant drop of over six percent amid optimism surrounding the ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 15 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 12 of the 27 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
60/100
Craft
65/100
Hype
45/100
27 sources · methodology
Iran announced on Monday that it is engaged in intensive indirect negotiations with the United States, mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, to de-escalate tensions and avert potential conflict. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described the exchanges as 'very intensive'. The country has also offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy corridor, under strict conditions.
The diplomatic push comes ahead of the US midterm elections. Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref stated that messages received from the US were an acknowledgement of Iran's victory. Meanwhile, oil prices dropped more than six percent on optimism over the conflict. The Korea Times reported that US Vice President JD Vance had sent a letter to Iranian national security chief Mohsen Rezaei regarding possible new talks.
Disagreement on US acknowledgement of victory
Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said messages from the US were an acknowledgement of Iran's victory, as reported by The Korea Times. None of the other reports mention this specific claim or attribute it to Aref.
What the coverage left out
None of the right-rated digests mention the claim by Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref that US messages were an acknowledgement of Iran's victory. The centre-rated digests also do not mention this claim.
Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 1 time, most recently on 2 Nov 2026, 20:15, and will add the sides that appear.
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
3 rated outlets
- Reports from the left-rated outlets focused on Iran's announcement of intensive negotiations with the US and the offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The Korea Times, in its full report, detailed the conditions Iran has set for reopening the strait, including ending the war on all fronts, unfreezing assets, lifting oil sanctions, and ending the counter-blockade of Iranian ports. This report also noted that US Vice President JD Vance sent a letter to Iranian national security chief Mohsen Rezaei. Fakti.bg's digest highlighted that Tehran is holding intensive talks with mediators including Qatar and Pakistan, and that the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened if US conditions are met.
Centre
2 rated outlets
- The centre-rated reports highlighted Iran's engagement in intensive negotiations with the US to avoid a fresh war outbreak. France24's digest mentioned that Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei shared Iranian plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if US demands were met. 15min.lt's digest also stated that Iran was in intensive exchanges with Washington and offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz under strict conditions.
Right
10 rated outlets
- The right-rated reports focused on Iran's description of the negotiations with the US as 'very intensive'. NDTV's digest quoted Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stating that 'very intensive' talks are underway via mediators. Clarin's digest noted that Iran and the US are intensifying consultations to prevent renewed hostilities, with Qatar and Pakistan as key mediators, and that the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened if certain conditions are met. Reformatorisch Dagblad's digest also quoted Araghchi describing the indirect negotiations as very intensive and named Qatar and Pakistan as mediating parties.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover Iran says intensive talks with US underway to avert war?
- Of the 15 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 20% are rated left, 13% are rated centre, 67% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 27. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is Iran says intensive talks with US underway to avert war left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 15 rated outlets on this story, 20% are rated left, 13% are rated centre, 67% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of Iran says intensive talks with US underway to avert war biased?
- Iran says intensive talks with US underway to avert war is one event reported by 27 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which outlets covered Iran says intensive talks with US underway to avert war?
- 27 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- What is Iran offering to the United States?
- Iran has offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy corridor, under strict conditions. These conditions, as detailed by The Korea Times, include ending the war on all fronts, unfreezing Iranian assets, lifting oil sanctions, and ending the US counter-blockade of Iranian ports.
- Who is mediating the talks between Iran and the US?
- Iran has stated that intensive indirect negotiations with the United States are being conducted via mediators. Qatar and Pakistan are specifically named as playing a very active mediating role in these discussions.
- How did the news affect oil prices?
- Oil prices dropped more than six percent on Monday. This decrease was attributed to optimism surrounding the ongoing diplomatic efforts and negotiations between Iran and the United States to avert further conflict.
Read it at the source
27 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
3- Aragchi: Tehran Is Holding Intensive Talks with Mediators (opens fakti.bg in a new tab)
- Iran says in 'intensive' negotiations with US to avert war (opens The Korea Times in a new tab)
The Korea Times — is The Korea Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Conflict in the Middle East: Iran Speaks "Intense" Consultations to Relaunch Negotiations (opens La Presse in a new tab)
Centre
2Right
10- Iran Announces ‘Intense’ Contacts with the U.S. to Prevent Further Escalation and Reopen the Strait of Ormuz · Global Voices (opens La Nación, Grupo Nación in a new tab)
La Nación, Grupo Nación — is La Nación, Grupo Nación biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Iran Engaged in 'Intensive' Consultations With US Via Intermediaries - Foreign Minister (opens news-pravda.com in a new tab)
news-pravda.com — is news-pravda.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Iran Announces "Intense" Contacts with US to Prevent New Climbing · Global Voices (opens Clarin in a new tab)
- US and Iran resume ‘very intensive’ peace talks on ending war — as Trump threatens new strikes (opens New York Post in a new tab)
New York Post — is New York Post biased? Our profile of this outlet
- "Very Intensive": Iran's Araghchi Claims Indirect Talks With US Underway (opens NDTV in a new tab)
- Iran Calls Negotiations with the US Very Intensive (opens dagelijksestandaard.nl in a new tab)
dagelijksestandaard.nl — is dagelijksestandaard.nl biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Tehran Engaged in ‘Intensive Shuttle Diplomacy’ Through Qatari, Pakistani Mediators: Foreign Minister (opens Anadolu Ajansı in a new tab)
Anadolu Ajansı — is Anadolu Ajansı biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Araghchi praises Pakistan and Qatar mediation, setting condi - Pakistan ... (opens Pakistan Today in a new tab)
Pakistan Today — is Pakistan Today biased? Our profile of this outlet
Not rated
12- No New Developments in Iran-US Message Exchange; Source Highlights 7 Conditions. (opens Haberler in a new tab)
- Iran Says U.S. Mediated Dialogue Advances and Reopens Ormuz Depends on Washington (opens O Cafezinho in a new tab)
O Cafezinho — is O Cafezinho biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Iran foreign minister says in ‘very intensive’ indirect talks with Washington (opens The Frontier Post in a new tab)
The Frontier Post — is The Frontier Post biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Iran's Foreign Minister Announces "Very Intensive" Indirect Negotiations with the United States (opens ARAB NEWS in a new tab)
ARAB NEWS
- Iran Confirms Intensive Talks with the United States Through Intermediaries (opens القدس العربي in a new tab)
القدس العربي
- Iran Calls Negotiations with the US Very Intensive (opens welingelichtekringen.nl in a new tab)
welingelichtekringen.nl — is welingelichtekringen.nl biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Iran Calls Negotiations with the US ‘Very Intensive’ (opens Nieuws.nl in a new tab)
- Tehran Recognizes Consultations with Washington. (opens برس بي in a new tab)
برس بي
Show 4 more
- Iran ' S Foreign Minister: Consultations Across Qatar and Pakistan Are Extremely intensive... and Ready to Negotiate or Confront - the Gate of the East (opens Al-Shorouk in a new tab)
Al-Shorouk — is Al-Shorouk biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iran: Consultations Through Country and Pakistani Mediators Are Extremely Intensive (opens hathalyoum.net in a new tab)
hathalyoum.net — is hathalyoum.net biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Irakji: Iran Is Ready for a Military Response and Diplomatic Path (opens Beirut 24 in a new tab)
- Araqchi: We Are Ready for Both Diplomatic and Military Paths (opens inn.ir in a new tab)
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