US President Donald Trump says Iran will no longer be able to sustain the conflict after November’s midterm elections, even as his advisers reportedly fear the war could continue through the rest of his presidency.
US President Donald Trump has predicted that the war with Iran will end “immediately after” the country’s midterm elections in November, arguing that Tehran will not be able to withstand continued US economic and military pressure.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump said Iran was “desperate” to influence the US election and suggested that Tehran was hoping for a change in the political balance in Washington.
“I think the war will end immediately after the election because they can’t hold out any longer,” Trump was quoted as saying by media reports. He also indicated that a negotiated settlement remained possible, although he said diplomacy was not currently the preferred course.
Trump’s prediction comes as the conflict enters its seventh month and tensions have intensified around the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. On Wednesday, Iran said it had attacked 10 ships near the waterway after US forces destroyed five Iranian oil tankers. The escalation pushed Brent crude prices above $100 a barrel for the first time since July.
Trump’s confident prediction contrasts with assessments reportedly being discussed privately by senior members of his administration.
According to The Wall Street Journal, senior US officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have warned that the conflict could continue for the remainder of Trump’s presidency, potentially extending until January 2029.
The concern comes amid growing economic and military pressure from the prolonged conflict. The war has already resulted in the deaths of 18 US service members, while disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz have contributed to rising energy prices.
The upcoming US midterm elections are scheduled for November 3 and will determine control of Congress for the final two years of Trump’s current term.
The military escalation was accompanied by a major diplomatic development on Wednesday, when the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors voted to refer Iran to the UN Security Council over its failure to comply with nuclear safeguards obligations.
The resolution was approved by 23 votes to three, with eight countries abstaining. Russia, China and Niger voted against the measure. It marks the first time in two decades that the IAEA Board has referred Iran to the Security Council over the issue.
The move follows a prolonged dispute over Iran’s nuclear programme and the IAEA’s access to nuclear facilities. The agency has been unable to fully inspect key sites since earlier military strikes damaged Iranian nuclear facilities.
The United States, Britain, France and Germany had pushed for the referral, arguing that Iran had failed to provide adequate cooperation and assurances concerning its nuclear activities. The IAEA has previously expressed concern over Iran’s stockpile of uranium enriched to up to 60%, although Tehran maintains that its nuclear programme is peaceful.
Iran rejected the latest resolution. Its representative to the nuclear watchdog described the decision as politically motivated and said it would not produce results.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu renewed his claim that Iran’s government is close to collapse.
During a visit to Israeli troops in southern Syria, where Israel has established what it describes as a security zone, Netanyahu said the principal objective was to bring down what he called Iran’s “terror regime”.
His comments came as Israel’s military activity and the wider US-Iran conflict continued to affect several parts of the region.
