Trump Predicts Iran War Will End After Elections

US President Donald Trump predicted on Wednesday that the war with Iran would end immediately after the November midterm elections, claiming Tehran was trying to influence the vote but could not withstand US economic pressure much longer.

“I think war is going to end immediately after the election because they can't hold out any longer. They're desperate to try and affect the election”, Trump told reporters.

Now in its seventh month, the war shows no immediate sign of ending. On Wednesday, Tehran said it had attacked 10 ships near the Strait of Hormuz after the US sank five Iranian oil tankers.

Renewed fighting sent oil prices soaring, with benchmark Brent crude futures rising above $100 a barrel for the first time since July.

Trump’s approval ratings recently fell to a record low amid voter frustration over the war and the deepening cost-of-living crisis. Midterm elections, scheduled for 3 November, are typically seen as a referendum on the incumbent president’s performance.

Oil prices would also fall after the election once the war was over, Trump predicted. He acknowledged that diplomatic talks remained possible, although they were not currently being considered.

“Yes, a negotiation could possible happen, but it's not something we're looking at”, Trump said.

(Reuters, luc)