Donald Trump says there is no immediate plan to attack Iran

US President Donald Trump clarified on Tuesday (local time) that Washington currently has no immediate plans to attack Iran. Trump made this statement as speculation and possibilities of major military action against Iran were rising following the midterm election results.

In an interview with The Financial Times, Trump stated that he is satisfied with the current state of the conflict with Iran. He said, “It seems like we are getting everything we want.”

When asked about signals given by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and recent reports that an attack on Iran could take place by the end of this week, Trump replied, “I am ready, we are ready. If we have to go, we are fully prepared, but there may be no reason for that.”

Prior to this, a report in The New York Times stated that the US Central Command has a plan ready to attack Iran, which could be implemented as early as tomorrow. This potential attack could have been carried out after the midterm elections were completed.

The report further added that some senior officials in the Trump administration are urging him to focus on the American blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. They believe that the Iranian regime can be diminished through economic pressure. On the other hand, some officials believe that only military action can weaken the Tehran regime.

On Tuesday, Trump confirmed that the United States had carried out attacks on Iran's Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. In the Fox & Friends show, he stated, “They had built an anti-aircraft facility... which as soon as it was completed, we attacked it very well last night.” Trump described this as a “small attack.”

This attack occurred at a time when Trump had signaled that a deal with Tehran could be reached. During the midterm elections, there was significant public dissatisfaction regarding the war and the resulting inflation. Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social, “Iran wants a settlement as soon as possible.”

US Vice President JD Vance also expressed optimism about reaching a deal with Iran. He told reporters on Monday, “We have certainly made some progress. We will see if we can make more progress.”

In response to the attack on Qeshm Island, Iran's chief negotiator in talks with the United States, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said that Iran is “ready for war with its finger on the trigger.”

However, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that his government is still trying to resolve the crisis “through dialogue.” He added that if the war resumes, “no one will benefit from it.” Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran's Supreme Leader has recently given the government new authority to negotiate on matters that were previously “prohibited.”

According to a Mint report, this entire sequence of events is unfolding amidst the tension and diplomatic efforts between the US and Iran.