United States President Donald Trump has predicted that the war with Iran will end immediately after the November midterm elections, despite continued fighting and growing attacks on shipping in the region.
Trump made the prediction as the conflict entered its seventh month, saying Iran would not be able to withstand sustained US economic pressure.
“I think war is going to end immediately after the election,” Trump said, accusing Tehran of trying to influence the November vote.
He said Iran would eventually be unable to continue the conflict under mounting economic pressure.
Trump spoke amid one of the most intense periods of the war, with attacks on oil tankers and commercial vessels around the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran said it had attacked 10 ships near the strategic waterway after the US destroyed five Iranian oil tankers.
The conflict has also pushed oil prices higher, with Brent crude recently rising above $100 a barrel for the first time since July.
Trump said oil prices would fall once the conflict ends, but acknowledged that negotiations with Tehran remained possible.
“Yes, a negotiation could possibly happen, but it’s not something we’re looking at,” he said.
The war has increasingly become a political issue in the US as Americans deal with higher fuel prices and rising living costs.
Trump’s approval ratings have also fallen amid dissatisfaction over the war and the wider cost-of-living crisis.
The November 3 midterm elections will determine control of both chambers of Congress and are expected to serve as a major test of Trump’s presidency.
Republicans are seeking to retain control of Congress, while Democrats are hoping to regain seats in the House and Senate.
Trump’s comments came as Republicans gathered in Dallas for the party’s first national midterm convention, aimed at mobilising support ahead of the elections.
The president remains the central figure in the Republican campaign despite being constitutionally barred from seeking a third term.
Vice President JD Vance is expected to play a prominent role at the convention as attention turns to the party’s future beyond Trump.
Meanwhile, the conflict continues to threaten international shipping and global energy supplies.
The Strait of Hormuz remains heavily disrupted, while the growing Houthi offensive in Yemen has raised further concerns over shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea.
