West Asia Conflict / Iran War Will End after US Midterm Polls, Claims Donald Trump

Washington, Sep 10: Amid rising tensions in the Gulf, President Donald Trump has asserted that the war with Iran will conclude “immediately” after the midterm elections, framing Tehran’s actions as a deliberate attempt to sway American voters and prolong the conflict.

“I think the war is going to end immediately after the election,” Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One for Dallas on Wednesday. He alleged that Iran was “desperate to try and affect the election so that we can get a nice, weak group of people in there and leave them alone and let them have their nuclear weapon.”

Trump insisted that Iran’s ultimate objective was nuclear capability. “All they want is a nuclear weapon. And if they had a nuclear weapon, the whole world is in deep trouble,” he said.

Also read: Houthis Strike Cities with Missiles and Drones, Says Saudi-Led Coalition

The President linked the conflict to surging global oil prices, which have climbed above $100 a barrel. “Well, I think it's very easy to explain to America. All you have to do is say, will you let Iran have a nuclear weapon? And the answer is no,” he said.

Trump predicted relief after the election: “Right after the election, oil prices are going to be tumbling downward. They're going to be tumbling down, and we'll get them down. I think, for gasoline, we'll get them below $2 a gallon.” He acknowledged, however, that declines would take “a little bit longer than the midterm.”

Trump dismissed the prospect of immediate negotiations with Tehran. “Originally, I wanted to make a deal. We're so far down the line. They have very little country left right now, so we're not looking for it,” he said. “Yes, a negotiation could possibly happen, but it's not something we're looking at.”

Asked whether a nuclear agreement was still under consideration after Energy Secretary Chris Wright suggested otherwise, Trump replied: “No. I'm doing much more than a nuclear deal. There's a lot more than nuclear. We're going to have nuclear. That's 99.9, but there's going to be a lot of other things on the table that wouldn't have been on the table three months ago.”

Trump also claimed US forces had destroyed Iranian vessels in clashes around the Strait of Hormuz. “We've knocked out nine of their ships,” he said. “We've taken out about nine of their tankers. Many of them are gonzo.”

The conflict has now entered its seventh month, with renewed fighting around the Strait of Hormuz intensifying global energy concerns as the November 3 midterm elections approach.

(IANS)