{
  "id": 16227866,
  "title": "US could strike Iran this weekend, envoy says",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/us-could-strike-iran-this-weekend-envoy-says-16227866",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-23T19:37:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/world/mena/us-could-strike-iran-this-weekend-envoy-says-2-1.500721685"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "US envoy Tom Barrack stated on Friday that the United States could launch military strikes against Iran as early as this weekend, following threats from both Washington and Israel. Barrack, who is the US Ambassador to Turkey and serves as a key advisor on Syria, expressed this sentiment during an interview with podcast host Mario Nawfal. He was in the Gulf when he made the comments.\n\nDespite Barrack's comments, President Donald Trump downplayed the possibility, stating that he is open to a deal and has been negotiating with Iran for months. Trump, a close friend of Barrack, acknowledged Barrack's powerful position but said he had no prior knowledge of the potential strike.\n\nIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, facing elections on Tuesday, has vowed to overthrow the Iranian regime, following a series of airstrikes against Iran since last year. Trump has also signaled a willingness to resume strikes after a lengthy diplomatic stalemate, though he initially stated it would not occur before the November 3 US congressional elections.\n\nBarrack contradicted Netanyahu's claims, insisting that the US does not seek to topple Iran, a sworn enemy of the United States and Israel since the 1979 revolution. He emphasized that the US is not interested in regime change, questioning the consequences of such a move.\n\nBarrack warned that if Iran continues to threaten the world and its allies in the Gulf, there will be consequences, although he did not specify what these might be.",
  "summary": "Jerusalem: The United States could strike Iran as soon as this weekend, a US envoy said Friday, after mounting threats by both Washington and Israel. \"Could there be a strike this weekend? Absolutely,\" Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and point man on Syria who does not have a direct role on Iran, told podcast host Mario Nawfal. President Donald Trump \"is very clear. He's open and…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 8,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Ajel English",
        "title": "US strike on Iran possible this weekend, says envoy Tom Barrack",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/us-strike-on-iran-possible-this-weekend-says-envoy-tom-barrack",
        "published": "2026-10-23T17:24:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Middle East Eye",
        "title": "US could strike Iran this weekend, envoy says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/us-could-strike-iran-this-weekend-envoy-says",
        "published": "2026-10-23T17:41:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "NDTV",
        "title": "US Could \"Absolutely\" Strike Iran This Weekend, Says Envoy",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/us-could-absolutely-strike-iran-this-weekend-says-envoy",
        "published": "2026-10-23T18:46:06.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "US could strike Iran weekend – Envoy",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/us-could-strike-iran-weekend-envoy",
        "published": "2026-10-23T18:48:51.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "US could strike Iran this weekend, envoy says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/us-could-strike-iran-this-weekend-envoy-says",
        "published": "2026-10-23T19:12:03.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Times of Israel",
        "title": "US envoy: We could strike Iran this weekend; Trump: I don’t know anything about that",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/us-envoy-we-could-strike-iran-this-weekend-trump-i-dont-know-anything",
        "published": "2026-10-23T19:36:09.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Arutz Sheva - Israel National News",
        "title": "US Ambassador to Turkey: Could there be an Iran strike this weekend? Absolutely",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/us-ambassador-to-turkey-could-there-be-an-iran-strike-this-weekend",
        "published": "2026-10-23T19:43:29.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}