Trump urges compete isolation of Iran, expects deal after election

US President Donald Trump urged complete economic isolation of Iran at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, showing no willingness to resume talks. He believes a deal could be reached after the US midterm elections in November. Iran had hinted at reopening negotiations to end the ongoing conflict, which has been going on for nearly seven months.

A senior Iranian official said Iran could lift its blockade on Iranian ports and allow the Strait of Hormuz to reopen to Gulf shipping within seven days if the US fulfills Iran's demands to ease military pressure and lift the American blockade. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US was open to speaking with Iran, particularly if it leads to a positive outcome and achieves the ultimate goal.

Trump, in his combative speech, gave no indication of readiness to compromise, stating that he believed a deal would be made after the election because it wouldn't make sense for Iran not to. Iran sees this as a "golden opportunity" to revive diplomacy. The US has not had face-to-face meetings with Iran since July, when an interim deal to end the war collapsed.

The US is meeting with leaders of the six Gulf Arab states to discuss restoring shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, but all, except Oman, have large US military bases that have been under Iranian attack. Saudi Arabia is also involved in the conflict, with Houthi fighters advancing in Yemen and threatening Saudi oil exports through the Red Sea.

The US has not agreed to support Saudi Arabia's military efforts. The Gulf states are considering a Qatari proposal for a framework to bring Iran and the Arab Gulf states into a common security architecture, which Iran is reviewing.