United States President Donald Trump has said Washington is in no hurry to end its war with Iran, describing the conflict as “not a typical war” and saying time is on the American side. His remarks, reported on October 31, 2026, came alongside reporting of a preliminary draft framework for negotiations that would reportedly address two of the most sensitive issues in the dispute: Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Al Arabiya English, which was cited in reporting on October 31, the draft framework proposes transferring Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile to an agreed third country or reducing its enrichment level. It also calls for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen to international shipping within seven days of an initial understanding. The same reporting said China could potentially act as a guarantor for implementation, and that direct talks could be held in Doha instead of Istanbul.
Those details are reported proposals in a draft, not an announced agreement. No final deal has been confirmed in the reporting, and the draft’s status — whether it has been accepted, amended or rejected by either side — was not settled in the reports published on October 31. That distinction matters: a framework sets out ideas for negotiation, while an agreement would require both sides to accept its terms.
Key Takeaways
- A reported draft framework proposes transferring Iran’s highly enriched uranium abroad or reducing its enrichment level.
- The same draft reportedly calls for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen to international shipping within seven days of an initial understanding.
- President Donald Trump said the United States is in no hurry to end the war, calling it “not a typical war” and saying Washington has time on its side.
What the Reported Draft Proposes
The uranium question has been central to the dispute for years, because the level to which uranium is enriched and where the material is held are closely watched by negotiators and by other governments. A proposal to move the stockpile to a third country, or to lower its enrichment level, would therefore go to the heart of the disagreement, even though the reporting does not set out the quantities, the destination or the verification steps that any final arrangement would need.
The Hormuz proposal is equally consequential. The strait is a narrow waterway through which a large share of seaborne oil and gas trade passes, so any closure or threat to shipping there affects energy markets far beyond the Gulf. A commitment to reopen it within seven days of an initial understanding would be aimed at restoring confidence for shippers, although the reporting does not explain how that timeline would be enforced or what would happen if it slipped.
The reported suggestion that China could act as a guarantor adds another layer. A guarantor role, in general terms, would mean a third party helping to assure that an agreement is carried out and lasts. The reporting does not spell out what guarantees China would give, or what role it would play if either side disputed compliance. The possible shift of direct talks to Doha, rather than Istanbul, would also matter for mediation, since Qatar has been involved in efforts to keep channels open between Washington and Tehran.
What Trump Said
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said talks were continuing, but he argued that Iran was in serious difficulty at home. “There are talks. They want to talk. They keep talking,” he said. “But look, they’re not paying their soldiers, they’re not paying their police. They’re in a lot of trouble. And we have time, frankly. It’s a war, but it’s not a typical war; we’ve been there for seven months.”
It is a war, but it is not a typical war.
Trump also played down the cost of the campaign, saying the United States was spending very little money, relatively speaking, and claiming that money spent on Iran had been more than made up for by what he described as gains in Venezuela. He offered no figures to support that claim in the remarks reported, and the claim itself is presented here as his argument, not as a verified financial accounting.
His comments came as diplomatic activity continued around the G20 ministerial gathering in the United States. Reporting noted that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a formal meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during that gathering, and that Qatari mediators have been working to revive talks between Washington and Tehran. The Jerusalem Post also reported that Qatari mediators arrived in Tehran on Friday as part of an initiative coordinated with Washington.
- The draft is reported by Al Arabiya English and cited in October 31 reporting — it is not presented as a signed deal.
- Uranium transfer or dilution, and Hormuz reopening within seven days, are the two headline proposals in the reported draft.
- China is named in the reporting as a possible guarantor, with direct talks possibly moving to Doha.
- Trump’s position, in his own words, is that Washington has time — a stance that suggests no rushed settlement.
Why the Timing Matters
The timing of the remarks is politically sensitive. The United States is days away from midterm elections on November 3, and the Iran war has become part of the domestic debate, including criticism from some lawmakers about its cost. Trump has previously said the United States would not launch further strikes against Iran before the elections, according to reporting, while also keeping military options open in his public remarks.
At the same time, the wider conflict has continued to affect shipping and regional security. Recent incidents in and around the Strait of Hormuz have underlined why a reopening commitment would be watched closely by traders and by Gulf states. Earlier reporting on backchannel contacts and the search for an end to neither war nor peace also shows that indirect communication has continued even while fighting and public pressure have gone on.
What Remains Unclear
Several questions remain unanswered in the October 31 reporting. It does not confirm whether Iran has accepted the draft’s terms, whether the uranium proposal covers the full stockpile, or how verification would work. It does not say whether the seven-day Hormuz timeline would start from a political understanding or from a signed text, nor does it set out what penalties or guarantees would apply if shipping did not resume.
It is also unclear how the draft relates to earlier mediation efforts. The Jerusalem Post reported that Qatar had presented Iran with a draft proposal days earlier, and that a senior Iranian official had described its terms as unacceptable to Tehran. Whether the framework reported on October 31 is a revised version of that proposal, a separate text, or the same text described differently could not be confirmed from the reporting available.
What to Watch Next
What to watch next is whether either government confirms the draft framework, whether direct talks are in fact held in Doha, and whether any statement follows on uranium or on Hormuz shipping. Until then, the story remains a reported draft and a presidential statement that Washington is in no hurry — not a settlement, and not a timetable for one.