Arabic version: ترامب يرى نهاية محتملة للحرب مع إيران
According to Cnbc, U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States is “hopefully” nearing the end of its nearly seven-month war with Iran and that Tehran wants to make a deal. Speaking to reporters in North Carolina on Wednesday evening, Trump said he had spoken with Tehran “directly,” without giving further details. The conflict began on Feb. 28 and has expanded into Yemen, disrupting energy exports and unsettling oil markets.
Fighting has intensified between Saudi Arabia and Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. The Houthis have increased attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia and launched a ground offensive aimed at controlling the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, an oil chokepoint connecting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to global markets.
Trump is planning to meet Gulf leaders on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York next Tuesday to discuss next steps in the war, Axios reported. The expected participants include leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. Axios reported that the discussion will focus on U.S. proposals for a postwar strategy, while a day-after plan is not expected to be finalized until after the U.S. midterm elections in November.
Gulf states are also facing growing economic costs. Saudi Arabia shut its East-West Pipeline after a drone attack damaged the network, which carries crude from the kingdom’s eastern coast to the Red Sea port of Yanbu. Oil prices moved lower Thursday after Saudi Arabia reportedly arranged additional shipments through Oman’s Sohar port via ship-to-ship transfers. Brent crude futures for November fell 1.5% to $104.28 a barrel, while October West Texas Intermediate futures dipped 1.1% to $101.30.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday again called for de-escalation, diplomacy and restoration of freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Michael Feller, chief strategist at Geopolitical Strategy, said Iran may be willing to negotiate after the midterms, while continued reluctance to engage diplomatically could prolong the conflict.
