President Donald Trump on Thursday said the US would not attack Iran before the midterm elections and that Washington was engaged in “productive discussions” with Tehran.
In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump said Iran was in a “very bad condition” economically and militarily and the blockade on the Strait of Hormuz would remain in “full force”.
“We will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the midterm elections to be held in the United States on November 3,” he wrote. “We are having productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
The announcement comes a day after reports in US media that Washington was preparing to launch renewed military action against Iran before the midterm elections.
Last month, Mr Trump said the war with Iran would end “immediately” after the midterm elections. He has also previously said the US was no longer seeking a negotiated end to the war.
Shortly afterwards, he said fuel prices and the cost of living would go down. But polls show the war Mr Trump started alongside Israel in February is unpopular among US voters.
A major issue has been the rise in fuel and everyday prices, which has followed disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil supply typically flows, has emerged as a major sticking point for Mr Trump.
The Republican President had campaigned on promises of lower costs and repeatedly blamed inflation on his predecessor, Joe Biden.
With the elections less than a month away, Mr Trump is also facing historically low approval ratings.
The midterm elections are critical for Mr Trump, who still has two years left in office. At stake is control of Congress, where Republicans currently hold narrow majorities in both chambers.
