ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - US President Donald Trump told Rudaw on Friday that he does not rule out an attack on Iran before the November midterm elections, a day after saying he would not attack the country before the vote, adding to uncertainty over Washington’s next move as speculation about a three-day strike campaign and new Pentagon attack plans emerged in US media.
“We may,” Trump said when asked by Rudaw’s Diyar Kurda why he had tied an attack on Iran to the midterm elections and why Washington would not act sooner.
“We will see. They are failing badly, their country is failing badly, their military is defeated, they have no navy, they have no air force, they have 300 percent inflation and Iran is in very bad shape,” he added.
The brief remarks came a day after Trump posted on Truth Social that he would not attack Iran before the elections.
“We are having productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump said. “We will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the midterm elections to be held in the United States on November 3rd.”
Trump’s statement temporarily appeared to rule out another US attack before the vote, but his comments to Rudaw on Friday left open the possibility of military action before then.
Iran and the US have been at loggerheads through successive rounds of conflict since the 12-day war in June 2025, followed by six weeks of further US and Israeli strikes earlier this year aimed at degrading Tehran’s nuclear, missile and drone capabilities.
Iranian state media and outlets affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have speculated in recent weeks that Washington is preparing for a new wave of strikes against Iran.
Tehran has meanwhile stepped up attacks against vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz. UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has recorded a series of vessels being struck by projectiles since late September, as large volumes of oil continue to move through the strategic chokepoint.
On Thursday, the New York Times reported that Trump had asked the Pentagon to draw up new options for attacks on Iran, including three days of intensive strikes aimed at degrading the missile and drone capabilities of the IRGC.
The paper said Vice President JD Vance had reviewed the attack plan at Camp David on October 2. Potential targets could also include energy infrastructure and IRGC command centers.
The military planning comes as indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington continue through mediators.
“We will not abandon negotiations despite repeated US attacks following talks. Iran remains committed to diplomacy and efforts to end the war while safeguarding the rights of the Iranian nation under international law,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Turkmenistan.
“The negotiating process is still continuing, and messages are being exchanged through mediators. We presented our proposal, which was called the ‘seven-day plan’, and heard the Americans’ views in response. We are now reviewing them, and I think we will respond within a few days,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Iranian media on Thursday after attending a funeral.
Pezeshkian's and Araghchi’s statement was followed by further IRGC attacks against vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
On Friday, the IRGC Navy said it had struck the LPG carrier NV Sunshine, accusing the vessel of attempting to use an “illegal” route through the southern Strait of Hormuz.
The IRGC said the attack caused a major fire in the ship’s engine room and propulsion system, and warned that vessels using routes outside those approved by Tehran would be pursued and punished across the wider region, not only in the strait. It also threatened sanctions and punitive measures against shipping companies that defy its restrictions.
