By Ricardo Luiz
US President Donald Trump said on Monday (Nov. 2) that Iran wants to keep negotiating to reach a deal over the war, but warned that Washington has not yet "finished the job." He made the remarks on the podcast Pod Force One, just hours before the US midterm elections.
Trump on Iran: 'You have to have someone to talk to'
According to Trump, the United States hit Iran very hard and can still "take more steps" in the Middle East. He cited the fall of "two of the Iranian regimes" and summed up his negotiating logic in a few words.
"Iran is failing, we hit the country very hard. We took down two of the Iranian regimes, but you have to have someone to talk to. To me, it's very simple: they can't have nuclear weapons," he said.
Asked where the talks are heading, the president committed to nothing. He limited himself to saying: "We'll see."
Strait of Hormuz closed, but oil stockpiles high, Trump says
Trump also played down the impact of the war and of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for oil. He said oil stockpiles are higher than before the conflict began. He also defended the performance of the American economy and pointed to rising stock markets, which he said remain positive despite tension in the Middle East.
Polls, veto threat and Elon Musk
On the election front, Trump dismissed recent polls showing an advantage for the Democratic Party. "I've never met anyone who was interviewed for the polls. At a rally, I asked whether anyone had been interviewed and only two people raised their hands," he said.
He also said he will veto everything if the Democrats win. In addition, he said Elon Musk will have to be protected if SpaceX is put at risk because of the Democrats.
Asked about the security of the vote, Trump answered that he does not believe the elections will be secure. The source does not detail which facts he bases that statement on.
Why it matters
The midterm elections decide the balance of power in the US Congress, and the result will weigh on Trump's agenda, including foreign policy. Trump presents Iran as interested in negotiating, yet he keeps the threat of new action on the table. How Tehran will respond, and how long the White House will give diplomacy, remains an open question.
VDD Analysis
Trump is following a familiar script: maximum pressure on the foreign adversary and direct confrontation with the polls at home. His demand that Iran not have nuclear weapons is clear and consistent with a policy of firmness. His doubts about election security, however, deserve serious and transparent debate, and anyone raising them should present facts. It is up to the press and American institutions to provide verifiable answers, because voters need to trust the process that decides the country's direction.
