Trump hits at resuming strikes on Iran; Tehran’s position unchanged
US President Donald Trump has hinted that his forces in the Mideast would resume strikes on Iran after the US midterm elections on Nov 3. The President has already sent a third aircraft carrier strike group and 10,000 additional sailors and Marines toward the Persian Gulf to give US commanders more options if he restarts hostilities. Last week, defence secretary Pete Hegseth also made an unannounced stop in Israel — which launched the war against Iran alongside the US — where he met with PM Benjamin Netanyahu just days ahead of the Israeli leader’s sensitive re-election bid.
Staffing at Middle Eastern bases, which have been hit hard by Iranian counterstrikes, has reportedly been reduced.
Against that backdrop, Iran is bracing for a fresh US bombing campaign around midterms and is preparing to retaliate across West Asia, including against Israel and UAE, according to a person familiar with Tehran’s thinking. The only way out of the current conflict is a deal that allows both sides to claim a win, Iranian minister said. Whether there is war or not, our policies remain the same,” said Araghchi during a televised event in Tehran.
The period between the US polls and when the new Congress takes office in Jan will be the most difficult period. “Recently, there has been talk of a new war, but I am already thinking about the post-war period. “They have already done so twice and have seen the results. If they want to try again, they know they will achieve no different outcome from those of the past. ”
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that a potential resumption of war with Israel and the US would not change his country’s positions.