Photo via haaretz.com
Trump Signals Iran Deal Possible, Rejects Renewed Strikes
Days before midterms, Trump says 'no' to fresh military operations and backs Qatar-mediated talks, even as Netanyahu privately presses for resumed attacks.
What happened
US President Donald Trump said on Monday he would not resume military strikes on Iran after Tuesday's midterm elections, marking a reversal from weeks of hints about renewed operations. When asked directly if he was considering striking Iran after the midterms, Trump replied "no." He added that Iran wants to make a deal and such an agreement "could happen," though he stressed the US remains "not in a hurry" to finalize terms.
Trump said he believes negotiations are progressing, though he questioned Iran's reliability, citing past instances when Tehran backed away from agreed terms. Iranian negotiators were in Doha over the weekend for a third consecutive day of talks mediated by Qatar aimed at reviving a framework to end the war that began with US-Israeli strikes on February 28. Trump's restraint is being tested by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is privately pushing for another wave of strikes to commence immediately after Tuesday's elections.
According to US officials, Netanyahu pressed Trump in a weekend call to resume major military operations, but Trump told him he prefers to let diplomacy continue. Netanyahu faces difficult coalition negotiations after losing his parliamentary majority in Israeli elections on October 27, in which his bloc won only 53 of 120 Knesset seats. A return to full-scale conflict with Iran could strengthen Netanyahu's position in forming an emergency government.
Vice President JD Vance told media the administration felt "pretty good about the prospects" of a negotiated settlement, with no deadline set for reconsidering military action.
Chanakya's Move
Trump is deploying restraint as a political tactic: he can show voters he is ending an unpopular war (aiding Democrats facing a difficult midterm) while keeping the military option open post-election. Netanyahu, weakened by electoral losses, is trying to use Trump's war appetite to rebuild his coalition—but Trump has shown he prefers to reserve that card for after the US vote. The real test is whether Qatar's mediation can produce a framework both sides can claim as victory, or whether the pause is merely a holding pattern. If negotiations stall after Tuesday, Trump could flip back to strike threats to satisfy Netanyahu and conservative hawks without immediately executing them. Iran has signaled willingness to deal but remains skeptical of US good faith, given prior instances when Washington resumed attacks during negotiations.