{
  "id": 15740744,
  "title": "Iran prolongs talks in stalemate to punish Trump ahead of US midterms, officials say",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/iran-prolongs-talks-in-stalemate-to-punish-trump-ahead-of-us-midterms",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-20T12:20:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-912292"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Iran has deliberately extended talks with the US to undermine President Donald Trump's popularity ahead of the November US midterm elections, according to senior Iranian officials. The eight-month-long war, which began in February with US and Israeli strikes on Iran, has negatively affected Trump's approval ratings amid concerns over rising oil prices, leading to potential losses for the Republican Party in the midterms. Iran refuses to make concessions that might benefit Trump politically, and Tehran's leaders are unwilling to return to pre-war conditions in the region.",
  "summary": "Tehran analyst Saeed Leylaz said that, by prolonging the talks, \"Iran is influencing the US election without taking any unlawful action.\"",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Al-Monitor",
        "title": "Iran prolongs talks in stalemate to influence US midterms, officials say",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/iran-prolongs-talks-in-stalemate-to-influence-us-midterms-officials-15733680",
        "published": "2026-10-20T10:46:28.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Iran prolongs talks in stalemate to influence US midterms, officials say",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/iran-prolongs-talks-in-stalemate-to-influence-us-midterms-officials",
        "published": "2026-10-20T10:49:52.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}