Trump Tells FT No Plans to Strike Iran as Midterm Polls Open

Is Washington quietly stepping back from the brink with Iran, or simply buying time? President Donald Trump told the Financial Times the United States has no immediate plans to strike Iran, insisting his administration is getting everything it wants. The remark landed just as American voters headed to the polls for the midterm elections.

Yet the picture on the ground looks far less calm. The New York Times reported that US Central Command could resume intensive strikes as early as Wednesday, while Iranian media described several explosions on Qeshm Island. A tanker in the Strait of Hormuz was also hit by two projectiles, though no casualties were reported.

Qatari mediators are holding indirect talks and pushing for an interim deal to prevent escalation. Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei said Washington's response was unconvincing and that Hormuz reopens only if seven conditions are met. Whether diplomacy or force prevails may be decided within days, with shipping and markets watching closely.