US President Donald Trump said Thursday that Washington will not resume military strikes against Iran before the November 3 midterm elections, while saying that discussions with Tehran are making progress.
In a post on social media, Trump said the United States “will not be attacking Iran at any time” before the midterm elections.
He said his administration was engaged in “productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Trump’s announcement came after weeks of uncertainty over whether the United States would resume large-scale military operations against Iran following a months-long conflict.
While campaigning for Republican candidates this week, Trump had suggested that a possible end to the war could come around the election period, while also leaving open the possibility of renewed military action.
The United States and Iran had reached an interim agreement in June aimed at establishing a 60-day ceasefire and a framework for a lasting peace settlement. The arrangement broke down within weeks as military operations resumed and the two sides remained divided over the Strait of Hormuz.
Negotiations have since faced difficulties. Trump last month rejected an Iranian proposal under which Tehran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if Washington met certain conditions.
Iran later said it had received a US counterproposal, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Thursday that Tehran was expected to provide a formal response within days.
Trump said Wednesday at a campaign rally in San Antonio, Texas, that his special envoy Steve Witkoff had continued indirect discussions with Iranian officials.
At the same time, Trump indicated that he was not necessarily eager to conclude an agreement immediately.
“I think the deal isn’t really something that I want to do, but they’re willing to offer us anything to stop,” he said.
Trump has argued that Washington is gaining leverage as US forces help oil tankers navigate the Strait of Hormuz while a US naval blockade restricts Iran’s oil exports.
The US Central Command has been escorting tankers through the strait at night, with their location systems switched off, while Gulf countries have also used pipelines that bypass the waterway to maintain oil exports near prewar levels.
However, Iran has increased attacks on tankers in recent days, and shipping through the strategic waterway remains significantly below prewar levels. Shipments of liquefied natural gas and refined fuel products have also fallen.
Some tanker operators willing to travel through the strait under US military protection are charging $1 million or more per day, according to shipping analysts.
The regional situation has also become more complicated with Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s government launching a military campaign against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in an effort to drive them from the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, another major route for oil and commercial shipping.
The Houthis have responded with drone and missile attacks targeting Saudi airports and other infrastructure.
Trump’s announcement came as the US military continued reinforcing its presence in the region. US officials have said the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, accompanied by thousands of troops and other vessels, could reach the region by the end of October.
The USS Abraham Lincoln was also due to return to its home port in San Diego on Thursday after an extended deployment in support of the Iran war.
The carrier’s deployment has been accompanied by reports of crew stress, mental health concerns and shortages of supplies, including food and hygiene products.
The USS George Washington, normally based in Asia, replaced the Lincoln in August. Another carrier, the USS George H.W. Bush, has been deployed in the Middle East for about six months and recently made a port visit to Phuket, Thailand.