Iran Prolongs Peace Talks to Pressure Trump Before Midterms

Iranian officials and state media are deliberately prolonging peace negotiations with the United States to politically undermine Donald Trump before the November 3 midterm elections. Tehran is leveraging high U.S. gas prices and rising Treasury bond rates to pressure the administration, with the clerical establishment focusing on preventing a political victory for the president.

Iranian leadership has publicly mocked the American economy. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf targeted U.S. economic instability, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps issued an open letter accusing the president of lying about the state of the U.S. economy. The Government of Iran has indicated it is preparing for renewed attacks from the United States and Israel rather than finalizing a deal to end the eight-month war.

President Trump has expressed conflicting views on the timing of the elections, stating at times that the vote does not enter his mind regarding Iran, while also suggesting that Tehran is stalling talks to see the election results. Although he has stated he will not attack Iran before the vote, U.S. military forces and aircraft carrier groups remain concentrated in the region. Administration hawks suggest the president may feel more liberated to escalate military action, including strikes on nuclear facilities, once the midterms conclude.