Praise Isioye
US President Donald Trump expressed skepticism about the possibility of renewed conflict with Iran, stating to CNN that it was highly unlikely right before a meeting with Qatar’s prime minister on Monday.
In recent weeks, Trump has warned about the chance of resuming attacks, as US media reports indicated that tensions could rise after last Tuesday’s midterm elections.
During an interview with CNN on Sunday, Trump reiterated that new fighting seemed highly unlikely, but he cautioned that his choice would depend on whether Iran agrees to a strong deal.
“I would if necessary, but we hit them really hard. I hit them so hard. You don’t know how hard I hit them,” he remarked.
Trump plans to meet with Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who also serves as the foreign minister, at the White House on Monday.
This will be Trump’s first meeting with a foreign leader since his Republican Party faced significant losses in Congress during the midterm elections.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi mentioned on Sunday that peace talks have been put on hold while they evaluate the political impact of the election results.
“For the past few days, there has been no more travel (by mediators), and the reason for this is the shock that the election results in the United States have caused to everyone,” Araghchi told state television.
“We now have to see how long it will take for them to digest these results, in order to determine how we are going to move forward,” he added.
Trump has admitted that the very unpopular war with Iran, which started with US-Israeli strikes in late February, contributed to the Republicans’ loss.
On Monday, Araghchi stated that the US president clearly understands that most Americans are fed up with Israel.
“Americans are clearly tired of Israel tricking US administrations into endless war. They’ve had enough. So has our region,” Araghchi wrote on X.
In a CNN interview on Sunday, Trump suggested again that the economic pressure on Iran will push its leaders to accept the United States’ demands.
“They’re a failing nation. You saw this year, 301 percent inflation. They’re struggling financially. We’ve hit them militarily. We could finish them off,” Trump claimed.
Official figures from Iran report inflation at nearly 90 percent year-on-year in September.
Iranian state television reported that Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz was attacked overnight Sunday, just hours after the IRNA news agency reported two explosions there.
Various regional countries, including Qatar and Pakistan, have been trying for months without success to stop the war completely.
While fighting has mostly stopped, Iran is still working to block the Strait of Hormuz, which is crucial for global energy supplies, while the US Navy continues its own counter-blockade of Iranian ports.
About the Author
