Trump awaits resumption of Iran bombings after elections - WSJ
Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump has told his inner circle that he expects to resume bombing Iran after the midterm elections in November, according to The Wall Street Journal.
According to US officials, Trump rejected an Iranian proposal for a seven-day ceasefire. The proposal envisaged the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the resumption of nuclear negotiations in exchange for the US lifting its blockade of Iranian ports.
At the same time, Trump publicly states that Iran is begging for a deal after the elections that would dismantle the country's nuclear program. However, privately, he is skeptical that Iran will meet his demands and has told aides that he considers the resumption of bombing a highly likely scenario.
Sources say, however, that the US president's current views could shift as the war drags on in the coming weeks and may depend on the outcome of the congressional midterm elections.
The scale of the strikes Trump plans to launch could not be determined. But according to interlocutors, he is reluctant to resume major combat operations, partly because the US wants to preserve its dwindling ammunition stockpiles for other contingencies.
What else is important to know
Almost a week ago, Donald Trump stated that "grand events" would soon take place in the war between the US and Iran in the Middle East. He did not rule out the possibility of meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
On September 25, oil prices fell after a sharp rise the day before, amid prospects for a truce between the US and Iran.
Earlier, media outlets reported that the US-Iran war had led to a shortage of tankers for oil transportation. In addition, against the backdrop of changing shipping routes, freight rates for supertankers have reached historic highs.
