Trump Predicts Iran War Will End After Midterms, Renews Threat to Strike Pickaxe Mountain
President Donald Trump said he expects the war with Iran to wind down once November’s US midterm elections have passed, even as the two sides carried out their heaviest exchange of attacks on shipping since the conflict began six months ago. He also renewed threats to strike a fortified Iranian site tied to Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Trump argued that Iran cannot continue the struggle for much longer and accused Tehran of trying to influence the midterm vote, which will determine whether Republicans remain in power in Congress.
He predicted that hostilities would cease almost immediately after the election, but has already set similar deadlines which did not come to pass.
The remarks come as Iran said it struck ten vessels near the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, retaliating after US forces sank five Iranian oil tankers — the latest round in a pattern of tit-for-tat strikes that shows little sign of easing.
The escalation has pushed Brent crude above $100 a barrel, with fuel prices climbing alongside disruptions to shipping through both Hormuz and the Red Sea. That price surge has coincided with a decline in Trump’s domestic approval ratings to record lows.
Trump also singled out Pickaxe Mountain, a heavily fortified Iranian facility near the damaged Natanz enrichment site believed to house two deeply buried tunnel complexes.
Addressing a Republican midterm convention, he warned Tehran against provoking further action, saying any perceived activity at the site would draw a forceful response. He has repeated threats against the location since at least mid-July, though no strike has yet materialised.
According to a Wall Street Journal report Reuters said it could not independently verify, senior Trump administration figures — including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — have privately cautioned the president that the war could persist well beyond the midterms, potentially through the remainder of his term ending in January 2029.
The US and Israel launched their initial strikes on Iran in February, citing concerns over Tehran’s nuclear activity, which Iran maintains is entirely peaceful. Middle East Report
