Kumar Bahukhandi
US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before departing for a Republican midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, amid escalating US-Iran hostilities. Photo: AFP
US President accuses Tehran of trying to influence American political climate; says Washington is not actively seeking negotiations as military confrontation intensifies
Key Highlights
- Donald Trump predicts the Iran war will end “immediately” after the US midterm elections.
- He alleges Tehran is holding out in anticipation of a change in the US political environment.
- Trump says Washington is not currently seeking negotiations but acknowledges talks remain possible.
- He signals that any eventual agreement would cover issues beyond Iran’s nuclear programme.
- US forces have reportedly targeted Iranian maritime assets amid escalating military exchanges.
- Trump’s claim that Iran is seeking to influence the US elections remains his assessment and was not accompanied by evidence establishing such a strategy.
Washington: US President Donald Trump has predicted that the war with Iran will end “immediately” after the United States midterm elections, arguing that Tehran is attempting to hold out until the vote in the hope that the American political landscape will shift in its favour.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday before leaving for a Republican midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, Trump linked the continuation of the conflict to US domestic politics and claimed Iran was hoping for a weaker American approach after the elections.
“I think the war will end immediately after the election,” Trump said, alleging that Tehran was desperate to influence the political environment in the United States.
Asked why he expected such a rapid end to the fighting, Trump maintained that Iran would not be able to sustain the conflict indefinitely and again centred his argument on Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
“All they want is a nuclear weapon, and if they had a nuclear weapon, the whole world is in deep trouble,” he said.
Trump Signals Broader Terms for Any Iran Deal
Trump indicated that Washington was not presently rushing towards negotiations, despite acknowledging that talks could eventually take place.
He said he had originally wanted an agreement with Tehran but argued that developments during the conflict had fundamentally altered the situation.
“Yes, a negotiation could possibly happen, but it’s not something we’re looking at. This war will end immediately after our election,” Trump said.
The President also suggested that any future settlement with Iran would go considerably beyond its nuclear programme.
“I’m doing much more than a nuclear deal. There’s a lot more than nuclear,” he said, indicating that additional issues would form part of any eventual negotiations.
Trump’s remarks came amid continuing military exchanges involving American and Iranian forces. He claimed that US operations had struck Iranian maritime assets and suggested further action could follow.
According to the account released by US Central Command, American forces targeted five Iranian tankers linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps following missile attacks directed at a US Navy warship.
Four crude-oil carriers were reportedly targeted in the Gulf of Oman and another vessel near Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf. CENTCOM said the American warship avoided the incoming attacks and that no US casualties were reported. It also said tanker crews had been instructed to evacuate before the strikes.
Trump, meanwhile, claimed that US operations had already put several Iranian ships and tankers out of action.
The conflict has also widened security concerns across the region. Iran subsequently launched missile strikes towards Jordan, with the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base — which is used by American forces — reported among the targets on Wednesday, September 9.
The escalating exchanges underline the sharp contrast between Trump’s prediction of a rapid conclusion after the US elections and the immediate military situation in the region.
His contention that Iran is prolonging the conflict to influence the midterm elections represents the US President’s own assessment. No evidence establishing such an Iranian strategy was presented in the remarks.
With military operations continuing and the possibility of negotiations remaining uncertain, Trump’s latest comments have added a distinctly domestic political dimension to an increasingly consequential international confrontation.
