Trump Expects Iran’s “Surrender” After Elections… Advisors Warn of War by End of His Term
US President Donald Trump stated that Iran would move toward “surrender or withdrawal” following the midterm congressional elections in November next year, asserting that Tehran is attempting to influence the vote. Meanw
Translated by Qiyas from الراي — Original source
US President Donald Trump stated that Iran would move toward “surrender or withdrawal” following the midterm congressional elections in November next year, asserting that Tehran is attempting to influence the vote. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported that senior White House advisors, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, privately warned Trump that the conflict could extend throughout the remainder of his presidency, which ends in January 2029.
As Trump again threatened to bomb a heavily fortified Iranian site near the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said that satellite images showed signs of new activity at the “Mountain of the Axe” (Peaks Mountain).
Trump told reporters on Wednesday night, “I believe the war will end immediately after the elections because Iran is unable to withstand pressure for much longer. They are desperately trying to influence the elections.”
He added, “Oil prices will drop immediately after the elections,” noting that it is necessary to wait until after these elections.
The US President also said that the United States might bomb the “Mountain of the Axe,” warning Tehran against recklessness.
Speaking at a conference held by the Republican Party ahead of the midterm congressional elections, he said, “We are observing some activity at the Mountain of the Axe. I advise Iran very seriously that we will be forced to strike it with great force.”
Trump has been threatening to launch strikes on the Mountain of the Axe since at least mid-July.
For his part, Grossi clarified in an interview with Bloomberg Television that IAEA inspectors have not yet entered the tunnel complex at the Mountain of the Axe, and therefore the Agency lacks specific information about the nature of activities taking place inside. He noted there are “some indications” of movement around the construction site.
The Mountain of the Axe is located in the Zagros Mountains, approximately 220 kilometers south of Tehran.
Development of the site began after an Iranian workshop housing centrifuges was targeted by a sabotage attack roughly six years ago.
In Tehran, the semi-official Fars News Agency reported that Iran has temporarily suspended a 10 percent fee on foreign cargo ships transporting oil, gas, and liquid petroleum products to and from Iran.
The agency added that the fee had increased the cost of transporting oil, gas, and liquid products, and that suspending its collection could lower transportation costs and encourage foreign ships to carry goods to and from Iran.
