US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the US midterm elections would have no impact on his Iran policy.
“As soon as the war ends with Iran, which will be very soon, oil will drop like a rock. And it’s going to end very soon,” Trump told reporters before departing for Ohio, where he was scheduled to hold a rally.
He also commented on the increased tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Iranian-backed, Yemen-based Houthi rebels.
Asked what he plans to do about the Houthis, who have been launching missiles towards airports in Saudi Arabia in recent days, including one attack in which an American citizen was killed, Trump replied, “Well, the Houthis are misbehaving very badly. No good.”
Trump has been considering whether to resume military operations against Iran while leaving open the possibility of a negotiated settlement.
Last Thursday, the president announced that the United States would not carry out additional strikes against Iran before the November 3 midterm congressional elections.
“We are having productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump also described Tehran as facing severe economic and military difficulties, while emphasizing that Washington would continue exerting pressure on the Iranian government.
Speaking at a White House event the next day, the president predicted that the war would end soon, suggesting that the United States was prepared to achieve that outcome through either diplomacy or military force.
“We can do it either way, but it’s very simple – one way or another it’s gonna be over soon,” he declared.
Meanwhile, The New York Times reported that American military planners had prepared options for strikes against Iranian missile installations, drone facilities, energy infrastructure and other military targets.
According to people familiar with the discussions, the proposals envision an intensive military campaign lasting approximately three days.