Trump sets pre-midterm pause on Iran strikes as Tehran prepares US proposal response

New Delhi: The United States president, Donald Trump, has ruled out attacking Iran before November 3, while insisting that Washington will maintain its blockade and prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons. In a Truth Social post on Thursday, Trump claimed that 22 million barrels of oil had passed through the Strait of Hormuz in a single night, with none of the oil originating from or destined for Iran.

Trump said the US was engaged in productive discussions with Tehran but maintained that Iran was in a weak economic and military position. His announcement sets a timeline for avoiding fresh US attacks ahead of the midterm elections, although the blockade and the wider confrontation remain in place.

The president’s claim about oil flows comes amid continued disruption to shipping through the strategic waterway. The US central command has rejected Iranian claims that the strait is closed, while shipping data from analytics firm Kpler showed that only seven vessels crossed on Tuesday, followed by 10 on Wednesday.

‘Iran could respond to US proposal within days’

The Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said Tehran could respond to Washington’s latest proposal within days, as diplomatic efforts continue over the conflict and access through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran is reviewing the US response to a proposal that could reopen the waterway within seven days, according to the IRNA

However, the two sides remain divided over Iran’s nuclear programme. Mohammad Eslami, head of the atomic energy organization of Iran, said Tehran would not abandon uranium enrichment or hand over its uranium stockpile.

The position conflicts with Washington’s demand for meaningful reductions in Iran’s enrichment capacity. The US vice-president, JD Vance, has said such limits would be necessary for an agreement, while Tehran continues to deny seeking nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, Kpler analysts reported that crude shipments through the Strait of Hormuz had fallen 27 per cent from a wartime peak to at least 10.1 million barrels per day. The figures underline the gap between Trump’s claim of record oil flows and the continued disruption recorded in shipping data.

Although Trump has ruled out an attack before the US elections, neither side has announced a final agreement to end the conflict. The next steps will depend on the response to Washington’s proposal and whether both sides can resolve their differences over the nuclear programme and maritime access.