Trump says Iran "can’t hold out any longer" as he expects war to end after midterms

President Donald Trump told reporters on Wednesday before departing for Dallas that he expected the conflict with Iran to finish soon after November’s midterm elections, citing a U.S. naval blockade and sanctions. He accused Iran of trying to influence the vote. The comments followed U.S. strikes that destroyed five oil tankers tied to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards after Iran twice targeted a U.S. Navy warship. The Guards said they hit a U.S. base in Jordan; Jordan said it intercepted 18 missiles. Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the tanker strikes, and a Guards spokesman listed conditions for ending the war, including releasing $24 billion in frozen assets and ending the blockade of Yemen. The IAEA board also voted to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council over its nuclear program.