Pause before escalation? Why Iran Fears All-Out War After US Midterm Polls As Donald Trump Considers His Next Move | Today’s news
Many Iranians are reportedly bracing for a possible return to all-out war as US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu step up their threats against Tehran, fueling fears that hostilities could be renewed around the November 3 US midterm elections.
Trump vowed to “finish the job” in Iran as Washington boosts its military presence in the Middle East by deploying a third aircraft carrier strike group and thousands more sailors and marines.
The build-up has raised concerns that the US could launch new strikes after the election, even as Iran’s leadership remains defiant in the face of mounting military and economic pressure.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, faces a politically sensitive vote on Tuesday and has called for the removal of Iran’s leadership, adding to uncertainty about the prospects for de-escalation.
Why Iran is afraid of a new US attack
Tehran is preparing for the possibility of renewed US strikes and a potential retaliatory campaign across West Asia, including Israel and the United Arab Emirates, according to an Associated Press report citing a person familiar with Iranian thinking.
Iranian leaders reportedly believe Trump could order new strikes regardless of the outcome of the US midterm elections.
Sasan Karimi, a former government official and professor of foreign policy at Tehran University, said Tehran was preparing for different scenarios.
“They have accepted that they will attack us again, before or after the elections,” Karimi said, according to the AP.
The period between the Nov. 3 election and the new US Congress taking office in January could prove particularly volatile, with political calculations and military preparations shaping decisions on both sides.
The US military build-up is raising regional tensions
Washington is expanding its military capabilities in the region, with another carrier strike group and additional personnel heading to the Middle East.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also made an unannounced visit to Israel last week, meeting Netanyahu days before the Israeli leader’s politically sensitive vote.
At the same time, reports of staff cuts at some US military bases in the region raised questions about security measures amid the threat of Iranian counterattacks.
The US State Department has also reportedly ordered some diplomats and their families to leave Saudi Arabia as regional tensions rise over the involvement of Iran-backed Houthi forces.
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Iran’s leadership has also threatened to attack US military bases and regional allies if Washington resumes its attacks. Tehran has warned it could expand its targets to include undersea data cables passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The strategic waterway has already emerged as a major flashpoint. This month saw the highest number of reported attacks on commercial ships passing through the strait since the first weeks of the war in March.
Economic pressure adds to Iran’s dilemma
In addition to military threats, Iran faces increasing economic pressure. The US naval blockade of Iran’s ports has curbed oil exports, a vital source of government revenue, as Washington and Tehran try to outlast each other.
Trade has also been disrupted, with trucks piling up at border crossings as Iranian trade shifts to land routes.
Rising economic tensions could complicate Tehran’s response to any renewed military campaign.
Despite escalating rhetoric and military preparations, a negotiated settlement remains a potential route to avoiding a wider conflict. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that the solution to the current crisis is an agreement.
