Trump says renewed Iran war 'highly unlikely' ahead of Qatar talks

Trump casts doubt on renewed hostilities

US President Donald Trump told CNN on Sunday that renewed fighting with Iran was "highly unlikely" ahead of a White House meeting with Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, though he warned that hostilities could resume if Tehran refuses to sign a "very strong agreement." The president has threatened to restart strikes in recent weeks, with US media reports suggesting that military action could resume following last Tuesday's midterm congressional elections.

"I would if necessary, but we hit them really hard. I hit them so hard. You don't know how hard I hit them," Trump said. The Republican Party lost control of Congress in the November vote, with Trump acknowledging that the unpopular war — which began with US-Israeli strikes in late February — contributed to the defeat.

Iran links pause in talks to US vote

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi suggested on Sunday that peace negotiations had been suspended while the political fallout from the US elections was being assessed. "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, adding that Tehran was waiting to see how long Washington would take to "digest these results."

Araghchi said on Monday that Trump "clearly recognizes that the vast majority of Americans are disgusted with Israel." Writing on X, the foreign minister stated: "Americans are evidently sick and tired of Israel bamboozling US administrations into Forever Wars. They had enough. So has our region."

Economic pressure and Hormuz tensions

Trump told CNN that economic pressure would eventually force Iranian leaders to accept Washington's terms, claiming the country was experiencing "301 percent inflation" and "withering away financially." Iranian official figures placed inflation at nearly 90 percent year-on-year in September.

Talks involving Qatar and Pakistan have failed to secure a definitive ceasefire, and while outright fighting has largely subsided, Iran continues its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — vital to global energy supplies — as the US Navy maintains a counterblockade of Iranian ports. Iranian state television reported that the island of Qeshm in the strait was attacked overnight Sunday, hours after the official IRNA news agency reported two explosions there.