Trump says US will not strike Iran before midterm elections

Oil prices drop as Trump dismisses speculation of pre-midterm military action against Iran.United States President Donald Trump has said the US will not attack Iran before the November 3 midterm elections.The US president said late on Thursday: “we are having productive discussions with the Iran" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="8614" data-entity-type="organization">Islamic Republic of Iran,” in a post on Truth Social. “We will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the midterm elections to be held in the United States on November 3rd.”Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3At least 81 US aircraft worth up to $3.3bn lost or damaged in Iran warlist 2 of 3Putin pledges Russia’s support to end US-led war on Iranlist 3 of 3Key takeaways from US Senate debate in Michigan between El-Sayed, Rogersend of listOil prices fell early on Friday as Middle East supply concerns eased somewhat after tensions in the energy-rich Gulf region had mounted in recent weeks.The possibility of renewed fighting had appeared to drive up oil prices in trading on Thursday. Some analysts believe Trump’s comments were an attempt to try and bring prices back down.Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran is reviewing the US response to its seven-day plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and that Iran will respond within the “next few days”.He added that negotiations are continuing through mediators, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported.Hormuz explosionsIranian media reported “massive explosions” in the southern Strait of Hormuz on Friday, with Fars citing unnamed military sources as saying tankers using “unauthorised” routes may have struck sea mines.On Tuesday, US Vice President JD Vance said Iran must make a “meaningful” reduction in its uranium enrichment capacity as part of an agreement to end the war. Experts say this demand may signal a softening of Washington’s earlier insistence that Tehran abandon enrichment altogether.