Trump rules out Iran strikes before midterms
Trump says Iran is weak economically and militarily, while tanker attacks near Hormuz have slowed shipping to a crawl.
By Standard Topic. AI-generated from the reporting listed under Coverage. Published . Updated .
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What happened
President Trump said the US will not strike Iran before the midterms, arguing Iran is in very bad economic and military condition. Tanker attacks near the Strait of Hormuz have slowed traffic to a crawl, and both sides appear to be waiting for the other to back down. Analysts say Tehran believes it can outlast Trump and sees concessions as a danger to the regime's survival.
Why it matters
Analysts say both sides have growing incentives to escalate, and the costly US effort to secure Hormuz and concerns over renewed nuclear activity raise the risk of another war.
Timeline
- Oct 10, 7:50 AM ET: Trump said the US won't strike Iran before the midterms, while tanker attacks near Hormuz slowed traffic to a crawl.
- Oct 11, 4:09 AM ET: Analysis reported that Tehran won't back down and that both sides have growing incentives to escalate.
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