The Trump Administration has been warning for days that the U.S. could return to major combat operations against Iran after the November 3 mid-term elections. At the same time, both sides in the conflict confirmed that exchanges regarding a potential agreement are still ongoing, though it’s unclear whether the U.S. could propose anything to Iran that the Iranians would willingly sign. Asked on CBS News’ Face the Nation whether the expected arrival of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Middle East next month indicates that President Trump had decided to escalate after the US mid-term elections, Energy Secretary Chris Wright declined to discuss the President’s plans. “He’s always planning for contingencies and he’s always negotiating,” Wright said. “He’s got both tracks still going, diplomatic and military.”

Wright said there were no guarantees that Iran would not launch further attacks against Gulf energy infrastructure–a top concern for both Qatar and Saudi Arabia–which could push already elevated fuel prices higher. “There’s no guarantees in conflict,” he said.

Yet while Wright shows no overt concern for the destructive economic effects of Trump’s war of aggression, the Iranians are indicating that negotiations are, indeed, going on. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said yesterday that Iran will convey its additional points, on a US counter-proposal to Iran’s 7-day plan for ending the war, after conducting the necessary assessments.

“Our positions were conveyed to the mediator during the brief stop we made in Doha on our way back. The proposals put forward by the Americans are more or less in line with their previous positions and specifically concern nuclear issues. We made it clear that, at this stage, our focus is on the issue of the Strait of Hormuz,” Baqaei said, reported IRNA. Restoring security to the Strait of Hormuz requires the US to take specific steps. These include ending disruptions to Iran’s commercial shipping, as well as ending interventionist measures and sanctions, including those imposed after the June 18 memorandum of understanding, he noted.

“The considerations raised by the Americans and conveyed to us by the Qatari mediator were discussed at that meeting, and our considerations were also addressed in return. We will conduct the necessary reviews regarding some of the details and will convey our additional points to the other side as well,” Baqaei said. He reiterated that the Strait of Hormuz was secure before the US and Israel launched their war of aggression on Iran on February 28. Baqaei stressed that Iran uses every opportunity for diplomacy to prevent an escalation of tensions and restore peace, even if that opportunity is grim. “The reality is that previous experience and the US stance show that the other side is not serious in using diplomacy,” he said.