Trump Calls Renewed Iran Conflict Unlikely Ahead of Qatar Meeting

President Donald Trump has downplayed the prospect of another military confrontation with Iran, calling renewed hostilities 'highly unlikely' before a planned White House meeting with Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. In comments to CNN on Sunday, Trump responded to speculation, prompted by recent administration warnings and media reports, that strikes could restart after last week’s midterm elections. He said any future move would depend on whether Tehran agrees to a comprehensive deal, while arguing that earlier military actions had sharply reduced Iran’s capabilities. Trump said he would act 'if necessary,' but stressed that Iran had already been hit with exceptional force, adding that the scale was not widely understood. The diplomatic contacts are taking place as international mediation pauses to gauge the political consequences of the U.S. midterms, which brought major Republican losses and changed control of Congress. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on state television that trips by regional mediators had stopped for several days. He attributed the halt to the shock created by the U.S. election results and said it remained unclear how long it would take for them to 'digest these results' before decisions could be made about next steps. Araghchi also said the election outcome pointed to growing public exhaustion in the United States over prolonged Middle East conflicts. In a social media post, he wrote that Americans were 'sick and tired' of Israel drawing U.S. administrations into 'Forever Wars.' Trump has acknowledged that public frustration over the conflict, which intensified after U.S.-Israeli strikes in late February, played a significant role in his party’s congressional losses. Still, he maintained that heavy economic pressure and inflation would eventually compel Iran to accept Washington’s terms. His remarks came as Iranian state media reported overnight explosions and an attack on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz.