Trump Predicts Immediate End to Iran Conflict Following US Midterm Elections

US President Donald Trump stated that the ongoing war in Iran could conclude immediately after the upcoming US midterm elections. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday before boarding Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland for a trip to Dallas, Texas, Trump claimed that the Iranian government is deliberately stalling to influence the American political landscape.

The Democratic Party is aiming to gain control of one or both chambers of Congress in the November 3 midterms, while Trump’s Republican Party currently holds narrow majorities in both. Trump accused Iran of seeking to secure a weaker political leadership in the US that would allow them to pursue a nuclear weapon unchecked. "All they want is a nuclear weapon, and if they had a nuclear weapon, the whole world is in deep trouble," Trump said.

When the conflict began on February 28, the US and Israel justified hostilities by pointing to Iran's nuclear programme as an imminent threat. Iran has consistently denied seeking a nuclear weapon, maintaining that its uranium enrichment is strictly for civilian power purposes. US intelligence reports have previously questioned whether Tehran was actively building a weapon, though concerns regarding enrichment levels remain.

Trump previously withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal. When asked if talks would restart, Trump indicated his ambitions are broader, stating he aims for "much more than a nuclear deal." However, he also noted that negotiations are currently a low priority, adding, "They have very little country left right now."

These comments follow statements from US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who indicated that further military action to weaken Iran’s nuclear infrastructure remains possible. The US military recently targeted five Iranian tankers following missile attacks on a US Navy warship, and Trump warned that additional strikes are expected. Meanwhile, the conflict remains broadly unpopular among the American public, and oil prices have risen above $100 a barrel amid escalating hostilities.