The Iran war could drag on through the remainder of US President Donald Trump’s term, potentially lasting until January 2029, White House advisers have privately warned the Republican leader, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials.
Last month, a senior Iranian military officer said that Tehran could “prolong” its war with Trump just to send a message that “there is a cost” of attacking Iran.
A previous Wall Street Journal report stated that Trump is privately discussing with his senior aides about declaring the Iran war over as he believes that the economic pressure might force the Islamic Republic to take apart its nuclear programme. US officials told The Journal that Trump does speak about getting a quick resolution to the war that has claimed the lives of 18 US soldiers and is on its seventh month.
“I think the war will end immediately after the election” because Iran “can’t hold out any longer,” Trump told journalists, accusing Tehran of being “desperate to try and affect” the vote. However, he also supports the new US strategy against Iran called “Operation Economic Outcast”, which is a long term economic siege to force the Islamic Republic into dismantling its nuclear programme.
Senior aides such as Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others have raised concerns that Iran could continue to resist US pressure, forcing a prolonged conflict that spans past the next presidential inauguration.
The report stands in contrast to what Trump said on Wednesday about the Iran war ending “immediately” after the US votes in midterm elections in November.
