CNN: Speaking to reporters on his way to the GOP midterm convention in Dallas, Trump asserted that Iran would continue the war into November in an effort to damage him politically.
“I think it’s going to take a little bit longer than the midterm,” Trump said of gas prices coming down. “They’re desperate to try and affect the election so that we can get a nice weak group of people in there and leave them alone and let them have their nuclear weapon.”
Trump’s Top Advisers Confront Possibility That Iran War Lasts Through End of Term
Top White House advisers have raised privately with President Trump the prospect that the Iran war could drag on through the remainder of his term, U.S. officials said, a message at odds with Trump’s public assurances of a swift victory.
In the Oval Office and Situation Room, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others have discussed with the president that Tehran could continue to resist U.S. pressure under the blockade and other military tactics, potentially extending the conflict past Inauguration Day in January 2029, the officials said.
The closed-door discussions come as Trump told reporters Wednesday that the war will end “immediately” after the midterm elections in November “because they can’t hold out any longer.” …
Iran and US hit tankers in biggest wave of attacks on shipping since war began
Iran said on Wednesday it had attacked 10 ships near the Strait of Hormuz after the U.S. sank five Iranian oil tankers, in the biggest wave of attacks on shipping by both sides since the start of the six-month-old war.
The attacks sent the price of oil surging, with benchmark Brent crude futures breaching $100 a barrel for the first time since July. At least one seafarer aboard a tanker was reported killed and another listed as missing…
With Close Calls on U.S. Warships, Iran Shows New Appetite for Escalation
At least three times in the past week, Iranian forces have launched missiles at American warships, including an aircraft carrier, taking direct aim at the U.S. Navy in a way it hasn’t done since the start of the war. Iran also fired a large missile salvo at U.S. forces stationed in Jordan on Wednesday.
The attempted strikes on warships have led to much closer calls than previous attempts, with Iran using maneuverable warheads, people familiar with the attacks said.
The warships evaded the attacks, said U.S. Central Command, which is responsible for the Middle East. Still, the attacks have left American officials increasingly concerned that Iran has improved its ability to target ships, perhaps with help from Russia or China, the people said…
Iran turns to crypto to shore up economy
…Iranian businesses, regime insiders and analysts say the central bank has in recent months quietly encouraged traders to repatriate funds by whatever means necessary to help sustain the battered economy.
This includes using cryptocurrencies, notably Tether but also bitcoin, to settle cross-border transactions through Iranian crypto exchanges, the people said.
Under this more relaxed system, traders can also exchange foreign currency through the country’s large open market rather than using government-approved rates, and can use export proceeds to finance imports directly, without having to channel their earnings through the official foreign-exchange system…
Iran’s Strikes on Base in Jordan Caused Limited Damage, U.S. Officials Say