Trump again claims Iran war nearing end, makes bold prediction on oil prices: ‘Will come tumbling down’
Donald Trump again said the war in Iran is nearing its end, claiming the conflict would be over soon after the November US midterm elections and predicted that oil prices would fall sharply after that. Speaking to reporters during a trip to Ireland on Saturday, Trump said he expected the war to end “very soon”, suggesting it could happen “right after the midterms”.
He added that oil prices would “come tumbling down” once the fighting ends in the Middle East. This is the second time in a week the US President has spoken about the conclusion of the war.
Speaking to reporters in Dallas on September 10, Trump claimed Iran was attempting to influence American voters by holding out for a more lenient administration in Washington.
“I think the war will end immediately after the election. They are desperate to try and affect the election so that we could get a nice, weak group of people in there and leave them alone and let them have their nuclear weapon,” Trump had said.
Oil prices retreated on Friday but still recorded strong weekly gains after rising above USD 100 a barrel for the first time in months.
Brent crude, the global benchmark, settled 2.8% lower at $104.61 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate fell 2.4% to settle at USD 100.05. Brent had climbed to around USD 108 a barrel on Thursday, while WTI rose above USD 104.
The decline came after Iranian state media reported that Tehran would hold talks with Gulf states in Oman over the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting that diplomatic efforts were underway despite a week of intense escalation.
MS NOW, citing a senior US government official and a Gulf diplomat, reported that Iranian and Gulf officials are expected to meet in Muscat on Monday to sign an agreement establishing an Iran-Oman shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran will not surrender, says President Pezeshkian
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, meanwhile, said Tehran would not surrender and maintained that the country had successfully resisted aggression from the US and Israel.
Addressing a gathering of Indian religious leaders in New Delhi late Friday, Pezeshkian said Iran had stood firm against both countries and would not bow to what he described as “bullying arrogance”, arguing that Tehran was acting in pursuit of truth and justice.
He also said the security and territorial integrity of the region could only be ensured by the countries and people of the region themselves, according to the Iranian presidency.
Pezeshkian’s remarks came ahead of the BRICS Summit in India and followed Trump’s claim earlier this week that Iran could have destroyed Israel and destabilised the wider Middle East, and eventually targeted US cities, had Washington not intervened militarily.
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