Trump says US, Iran in ‘productive’ talks, rules out attack before midterm polls in November
The conflict erupted in February after the US and Israel carried out strikes on Iran. The prolonged war has hurt Trump's approval ratings at home and created political pressure on Republicans, who are trying to retain their slim majorities in Congress in the upcoming elections.
Donald Trump, the US President, has stated that the United States and Iran are engaged in "productive" negotiations to end a six-month conflict. In a post on Truth Social, Trump affirmed that the US would not launch a military strike against Iran prior to the midterm elections on November 3. He emphasized that Iran is in a poor economic and military state, and that a blockade remains in place, with record oil shipments flowing through the Hormuz Strait.
Trump highlighted that despite Iran's poor condition, the US will not attack before the midterms. Recent polls show that 60% of Americans, including a quarter of Republicans, disapprove of Trump's handling of the situation in Iran. The conflict has led to a surge in gasoline prices, which is a major concern for voters. Iran and the US have made proposals to end the war and reopen the critical energy shipping route, the Strait of Hormuz, but Trump has rejected Iran's latest offer.
Iran's state media reported that Tehran would not halt uranium enrichment or surrender its uranium stockpile, according to the country's Atomic Energy Organization. This comes after US Vice President JD Vance said Iran must make meaningful reductions in its enrichment capacity. The US, Israel, and Western allies have accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons, a claim Iran has denied.
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