‘No immediate plans’: Donald Trump says amid report of possible US strike against Iran as early as tomorrow

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) said that Washington has no immediate plans to strike Iran amid growing speculation of an imminent operation, immediately after the midterm election results.

In an interview with The Financial Times, Trump suggested he was content with the state of the stand-off with Iran. “We seem to be getting everything we want,” Trump said.

When asked about recent reports and hints by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that an attack on Iran could happen later this week, Trump said: “I’m ready, we’re ready. We’re locked and loaded if we need to go, but there may be no reason for it.”

US could strike Iran after midterm: NTY

Earlier, The New York Times had reported that the US Central Command has a plan ready to attack Iran as early as tomorrow.

Such a strike would take place after today’s midterm elections.

The report added that some top officials in US President Donald Trump’s administration are urging him to focus on the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that economic pressure will bring down the regime, while others are of the opinion that only military action will weaken the regime in Tehran.

Trump confirms strike on Qeshm Island

On Tuesday, Trump also confirmed that the United States launched strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz.

“They built an anti-aircraft facility… As soon as it was completed, we hit it last night very nicely,” Trump said on Fox & Friends show, adding that it was a “minor attack”.

The attack came just hours after Trump signalled that a deal with Tehran “could happen”, shortly before polls opened in the midterms dominated by public dissatisfaction with the war and the inflation it has stoked.

“Iran wants a settlement, as soon as possible,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

US Vice President JD Vance also said he was optimistic about securing an agreement with Iran.

“We’ve certainly made some progress. We’ll see if we can make some more,” Vance told reporters on Monday.

What Iran said

Responding to the strike on Qeshm, Iran’s chief negotiator in talks with the United States, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said the Islamic Republic was “ready for battle with its finger on the trigger.”

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said his government was still trying to resolve the crisis “through dialogue” though, adding that “no one will benefit from this war” if it reignited.

Pezeshkian emphasised that the country’s supreme leader had recently granted the government new powers to negotiate issues that were previously “off-limits”.