President Donald Trump said Washington has had enough of Tehran and that Iran will not get a nuclear weapon, while he rules out strikes before the midterm elections.
The Trump warning to Iran, delivered at a campaign rally in Wasilla, Alaska, on Tuesday, has sharpened tension in the Iran war while talks stall and a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports continues. According to Iran International, Donald Trump told supporters to wait and see what Washington does next. The remarks came five days after he ruled out an attack before the U.S. midterm elections on November 3.
Trump Warning to Iran: What He Said in Alaska
ANI reported that Trump repeated that Iran will not obtain a nuclear weapon, saying its nuclear sites are buried under thousands of tons of rock. Iran International added that he told reporters earlier in the day that a decision on Iran would come very soon. Trump also claimed more oil now moves through the Strait of Hormuz than before the Iran war began. No details of planned action were reported.
Axios Report on Netanyahu and Possible Strikes
Axios reported Tuesday, citing two U.S. officials, an Israeli official and a fourth source, that Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed a major new operation against Iran before elections in both countries. One U.S. official told Axios that Trump told Netanyahu to “go ahead and get ready,” without committing to a date. The call reportedly came before Trump’s public pledge. A White House official disputed the report and repeated that the United States will not attack Iran before the midterm elections.
What Iran Says About the US Response
Tehran had not directly answered the Alaska remarks at the time of writing. On Sunday, the Associated Press reported, via CBS News, that Mohsen Rezaei called the latest U.S. response “insufficient” and said Iran is no longer responding. He said Washington must clarify some of Iran’s seven conditions and threatened regional cables and data centers if heavy fighting resumes. President Masoud Pezeshkian said Thursday that Iran revised its proposals and was ready to finalize them through mediators, CBS reported. Reuters reporting carried by yourNEWS said Iranian officials were reviewing Washington’s response on Monday and would reply through intermediaries.
Strait of Hormuz and the Naval Blockade
The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports has been in place since July 14, after a ceasefire collapsed, CBS News reported, citing CENTCOM. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says it controls the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM rejected that claim, saying U.S. forces helped Gulf partners ship more than 19 million barrels of crude on Monday, according to Iran International. CBS News reported that Trump says the naval blockade stays in full force.
Houthi Attacks Open a New Front
A strike on Riyadh’s airport in Saudi Arabia on Saturday killed at least 12 people and wounded 309, Saudi authorities said, according to CBS News. The State Department blamed the Houthis, a group aligned with Iran. Trump said Washington would look at joining Saudi Arabia’s campaign against them.
Will the US Attack Iran Before the Midterm Elections?
Reuters reported on October 8 that Trump said the United States is holding productive discussions with Iran and will not attack before the midterm elections. He repeated that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. Asked on Saturday whether the Houthi strike changed that pledge, Trump said officials would take a look, CBS News reported. Axios, as relayed by Saudi Gazette, said Israeli and U.S. forces remain on high alert in case he changes course.
FAQs
What did Trump say about Iran at the Alaska rally?
In the Trump warning to Iran, Donald Trump said the United States has had enough of Tehran and that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon.
Will the US strike Iran before the midterm elections?
Trump says the United States will not attack Iran before the midterm elections on November 3, though Axios reports Netanyahu and Trump discussed strikes.
What does Iran say about the Trump warning to Iran and the Iran war?
Iranian officials called the latest U.S. response insufficient, while Tehran reviews Washington’s reply through mediators.
What is happening in the Strait of Hormuz?
The U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports continues, and CENTCOM denies the Revolutionary Guard’s claim of control over the Strait of Hormuz.
How do Houthi attacks affect the Iran war?
Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have widened the Iran war, and Trump says Washington may join Saudi action.