US President Donald Trump speaks during an event after signing an executive order renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., US, August 27, 2026. REUTERS
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that his special envoy Steve Witkoff is “doing very well” in negotiations with Iran while indicating that a deal is not his preferred outcome.
“He’s working on the Iran deal and doing very well. I think the deal isn’t really something that I want to do, but they’re willing to offer us anything to stop,” Trump told supporters at a campaign rally in San Antonio, Texas.
“They will never have a nuclear weapon,” he added. Trump described Witkoff as “a great negotiator” who has “done some phenomenal things,” citing the ceasefire deal in Gaza.
The president also said he expects the war with Iran to end soon. “That war ends – it’s going to be very soon. It’s got to be very soon,” he said, describing Iran as “a failed nation.”
His remarks came as media reports said that the White House has asked the Pentagon to develop options for strikes on Iranian targets that could be carried out before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
Trump may order new strike on Iran before midterms: reports
The White House has asked the Pentagon to develop options for strikes on Iranian targets that could be carried out before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, according to media reports on Wednesday.
Asked about the reports, a Pentagon official told Anadolu: “The Department’s job is to develop and present military options to the president.”
The official did not confirm or deny the reports.
The Atlantic reported, citing two administration officials, that the size and targets of any potential strikes—and whether the administration will ultimately proceed— are still being debated. Trump’s advisers believe the right moment for new strikes would be after the midterms rather than before, the magazine said.
Read: Vance says Iran must cut enrichment to end war
A White House official told The Atlantic that Trump “has all options available at any time,” but did not address questions about the timing of possible strikes.
Separately, Axios reported that the Pentagon instructed US Central Command (CENTCOM) several days ago to conclude preparations for resuming major combat operations in Iran, citing US officials.
The directive did not include a specific date for launching strikes, according to the report.
Attacks on tankers in Hormuz hit highest of any week since start of Iran war, sources say
Attacks on tankers sailing through the Strait of Hormuz hit their highest last week of any week since the Iran war began, according to maritime security sources tracking incidents, amid a bigger export push by Gulf producers.
Attacks, attempted attacks, and harassment activity, including drone overflights, surveillance, and hailing using VHF radio by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, have persisted in the strait, the US Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) said in a note on Sunday.
“These actions continue to demonstrate Iran’s intent to assert presence along key transit lanes and maintain pressure on transiting vessels,” the JMIC said.
In the week of September 28-October 5, there had been at least 12 attacks on oil, liquefied natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas tankers around the Strait of Hormuz, according to data from three maritime security sources who analysed incidents based on information received from the area.
Read more: UN chief heads to Islamabad to boost Pakistan-led US-Iran peace talks
That was the highest number of attacks in a single week since the US war with Iran began on February 28, the sources said.
Separate data collated by the UN’s shipping agency, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), showed nine incidents involving vessels in the same week.
The UN body tends to take longer to verify and officially record incidents, maritime sources say.
The closest week in terms of comparable incidents was the week of July 13, when there were eight incidents, separate IMO data showed.
Gulf oil exporters topped pre-war levels for about half of September, shipping data showed on Monday, though attacks on tankers and logistical constraints cloud the outlook for sustained higher flows.
India’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that 12 crew members were injured after an unknown projectile struck Panama-flagged oil tanker On Peace while it was passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
