Trump Says Renewed War With Iran Is ‘Highly Unlikely’ Ahead of Qatar Talks

US President Donald Trump has said renewed fighting with Iran is “highly unlikely”, raising hopes of a possible diplomatic breakthrough as he prepares to meet Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, at the White House.

In an interview with CNN on Sunday, Trump said his decision on whether to resume military action would depend on Iran accepting what he described as a strong agreement.

“I would if necessary, but we hit them really hard. I hit them so hard. You don’t know how hard I hit them,” he said.

Trump Links Peace to Iran Agreement

Trump has repeatedly threatened to resume strikes against Iran in recent weeks, with US media reports suggesting that hostilities could restart following the midterm elections.

His planned meeting with Qatar’s prime minister, who also serves as the country’s foreign minister, comes amid ongoing efforts by regional powers to secure a lasting end to the conflict.

The meeting will be Trump's first with a foreign leader since the midterm elections, which resulted in a major defeat for his Republican Party and the loss of its control of Congress.

Iran Says Peace Talks Have Paused

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that diplomatic contacts had slowed following the US election results.

Speaking to Iranian state television, Araghchi said mediators had not travelled in recent days because countries involved were still assessing the political implications of the vote.

He added that Iran would need to determine how long it would take for the United States to process the election outcome before deciding how to proceed with negotiations.

Araghchi also argued that American opposition to the war and Israel's role in the conflict had contributed to the Republican Party's electoral defeat.

Economic Pressure and Military Tensions Continue

Trump has maintained that economic pressure will eventually force Iran to accept Washington's demands. During the CNN interview, he described Iran's economy as failing and claimed inflation had reached 301 per cent.

However, Iran's official figures put year-on-year inflation at nearly 90 per cent in September.

Despite the reduction in direct fighting, tensions remain high around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy supplies. Iran continues efforts to blockade the waterway, while the US Navy maintains a counterblockade of Iranian ports.

Reports of Explosions on Qeshm Island

Iranian state television reported that Qeshm Island, located in the Strait of Hormuz, came under attack overnight on Sunday. The report followed an earlier announcement by the official IRNA news agency of two explosions on the island.

The reported incidents add to uncertainty surrounding the fragile situation, as countries including Qatar and Pakistan continue efforts to negotiate a definitive end to the conflict.

Although Trump has described renewed fighting as highly unlikely, his warning that military action remains an option if Iran rejects a proposed agreement leaves the possibility of further escalation open.

Vanguard