As the possibility grows that the United States may resume strikes on Iran following the midterm elections early next month, diplomatic efforts to avert a renewed war are also gaining momentum.

Having completed preparations for military options, the U.S. has effectively issued an ultimatum using these preparations as leverage.

While backchannel talks between the two sides to resume negotiations are continuing through intermediaries, it remains unclear whether common ground can be found.

General Brad Cooper, head of the U.S. Central Command overseeing military operations in the Middle East, directly briefed U.S. President Donald Trump on military strike options against Iran at the White House on the 29th (local time).

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine attended the meeting.

Military generals reportedly met with Vice President JD Vance the previous day.

The WSJ analyzed that because it is rare for the CENTCOM commander to brief the president directly, this meeting signals that the U.S. has moved a step closer to resuming large-scale military operations.

President Trump has repeatedly hinted that he could launch massive attacks on Iran after the midterm elections conclude on November 3.

Speaking at a rally on the 23rd, referencing the bombing campaign against Iran earlier this spring, he said, "We could do another little Operation Epic Fury. Or they (Iran) will make a deal."

In fact, the U.S. military recently deployed additional air defense systems and ammunition to the Middle East and relocated some troops from bases vulnerable to Iranian retaliatory strikes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated at a recent military officer commissioning ceremony that Israel will join in if the U.S. resumes strikes on Iran.

The U.S. is also in the process of deploying additional Patriot air defense batteries to Israel, which could become a target for Iran.

Such moves, keeping the resumption of war in mind, go beyond mere preparation and serve as a means to instill fear of devastation in Iran, thereby pressuring it to participate in negotiations.

The fact that the U.S. has not ruled out the possibility of a deal with Iran and that top-tier officials have abruptly proposed negotiations in the form of an ultimatum can be read in this context.

Vice President Vance sent a letter to Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and a hardline security figure, attempting direct contact for negotiations.

The letter, arranged largely through Qatari mediation, was delivered to Secretary Rezaei on the 25th, and Iran's response is expected soon, according to the British newspaper The Guardian.

The letter reportedly contains proposals for Iran to make commitments regarding its nuclear program from the early stages of negotiations and to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days in exchange for the lifting of U.S. sanctions.

Ultimately, whether a new large-scale war breaks out after the midterm elections depends on how Iran responds to Vice President Vance's handwritten letter proposing the resumption of talks.

Vice President Vance has shown some skepticism toward war, exposing a difference in tone with President Trump.

To that extent, the fact that Vice President Vance directly sent a letter to push for negotiations is also interpreted as a sign that the U.S. has not abandoned a diplomatic solution.

However, looking at the reality, the U.S. and Iran are failing to narrow their stance gaps over key issues.

The U.S. wants Iran to make concrete commitments from the early stages of negotiations to eliminate its stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

Meanwhile, Iran has maintained its stance that the U.S. must first lift the maritime blockade and release frozen assets, and that the nuclear issue should be discussed only afterward.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran's parliament and head of the Iranian negotiating delegation, stated via X on this day that "progress is possible only when an agreement is reached on Iran's seven conditions."

These conditions include lifting sanctions, unfreezing assets, and ending the war on all fronts, including Lebanon.

He emphasized, "Iran's conditions have been clearly communicated to the mediators repeatedly," and "The carrot-and-stick approach has no effect on Iran."

In response, mediators centered around Qatar are proposing a compromise that would trade Iran allowing inspections of its nuclear facilities for the U.S. lifting some sanctions.

Mediators are currently persuading Iran that accepting such a proposal may be the only way to avoid a large-scale attack, U.S. internet media outlet Axios reported.

Iran continues to hold the Strait of Hormuz hostage and, at least rhetorically, is sending belligerent messages.

On this day, Iran also announced that four oil tankers struck sea mines and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz and adjacent waters.

While the U.S. military stated that it has cleared all sea mines from major shipping lanes, Iran countered that sea mines are still laid in shipping lanes not authorized by the country.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) emphasized in a statement that "sea mines are laid in unauthorized shipping lanes of the Strait of Hormuz, and responsibility for passing through these routes lies with the shipowners and crews," adding, "You must not listen to the delusions of the U.S. Central Command posted on social media."