Trump says he will not attack Iran before the midterm election

CNN, The Guardian and CBS News report that President Donald Trump has pledged the United States will not attack Iran before the November 3 midterm elections, a promise that eases fears raised by reports of strike planning. He posted the commitment on Truth Social on Thursday, saying talks with Tehran are productive and that stopping Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains his central aim. CBS News notes he gave no specifics about the talks, according to CNN · The Guardian.

The pledge followed a report in The Atlantic, which cited two administration officials saying the White House had asked the Pentagon to prepare options for renewed strikes ahead of the vote, with a broader operation possible afterward. Trump said the blockade stays in place, and the Treasury Department sanctioned 17 vessels it described as a shadow fleet, according to CNN.

The Guardian ties the announcement to Trump's sinking approval rating and to gas prices more than a dollar higher than before the war began in February. CBS News reports that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said messages are still moving through intermediaries and that Tehran expects to answer a U.S. reply to its "seven-day plan" within days.

Summarized by PolitiKool from CNN · The Guardian, The Guardian and CBS News’s reporting. Read the full story at CNN · The Guardian → Also at The Guardian → Also at CBS News →