Politics
The US news website Axios has reported that President Donald Trump could intensify military operations against Iran and take major action if the Republican Party loses the midterm elections scheduled for next week.
The US news website Axios has reported that President Donald Trump could intensify military operations against Iran and take major action if the Republican Party loses the midterm elections scheduled for next week. The development comes as diplomatic efforts continue between Washington and Tehran to end the war and resume negotiations. However, disagreements over the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and freedom of navigation through the strategic waterway remain a source of tension between the two countries. The success of diplomatic efforts is therefore being regarded as crucial not only to ending the war but also to restoring regional stability and ensuring the uninterrupted flow of global energy trade.
Citing a US official, Axios reported that if the election results leave Trump feeling politically weakened, he could take a major and unprecedented step against Iran. According to the official, Iranian authorities are being told that they currently have their best opportunity to reach an agreement with the United States. However, a White House official rejected this assessment, saying that the outcome of the midterm elections would not influence Trump's decisions regarding Iran and that the elections would have no bearing on the formulation of US policy.
Efforts to resume negotiations between the two countries continue to face disagreements over several conditions. Washington wants guarantees concerning Iran's nuclear program, while Tehran is demanding that the United States lift its naval blockade, release Iran's frozen assets and allow it to resume oil exports. According to Axios, Qatar is urging Iran to grant UN inspectors access to nuclear facilities damaged in US and Israeli attacks. In return, Iran could receive limited sanctions relief.
The Axios report also reveals differing views within the Trump administration over how to deal with Iran. According to the report, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are sceptical about the prospects of reaching an agreement with Tehran and favour further weakening Iran's leadership. By contrast, Vice President JD Vance, along with special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, support reviving negotiations and restoring diplomatic engagement with Iran.
It is worth recalling that in June, a 14-point interim agreement was reached between the United States and Iran through joint mediation by Pakistan and Qatar. The agreement was aimed at reducing tensions in the Middle East and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump and President Masoud Pezeshkian signed the agreement electronically, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed it as a mediator. However, renewed military tensions between the two countries within a few weeks effectively brought the agreement to an end.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly pressing US President Donald Trump to launch a joint military operation against Iran. According to international media reports, Netanyahu wants the two countries to target Iran immediately after the US midterm elections. An Axios report says disagreements persist within the Trump administration over the strategy for dealing with Tehran. Some officials favour resuming negotiations with Iran, while others want to increase pressure through military action. Separately, Israeli television Channel 15 has claimed that the Israeli military has completed all preparations for an attack on Iran. According to the report, Israeli military officials are assessing various aspects of a possible war, with particular attention also being paid to the northern front.
The Israeli military fears that if a direct war with Iran breaks out, Lebanon-based Hezbollah could also open another front. In such a scenario, Israel could face attacks from several directions simultaneously. In view of this threat, the Israeli military is reviewing its preparations to deal with possible drone and missile attacks along its northern border. The report also refers to efforts to meet defence requirements across multiple fronts at the same time. However, neither the United States nor Israel has officially announced any joint military operation against Iran. For now, reports concerning preparations for an attack and its possible timing remain based on media accounts and claims by sources familiar with the matter.
