Is Trump’s ‘no-war, no-peace’ plan on Iran sustainable?

U.S. President Trump appears to have stepped back from the immediate prospect of restarting the war with Iran after the midterms — in which the Republicans suffered a crushing defeat. | Photo Credit: AP In September this year, U.S. President Donald Trump told the UN General Assembly that he could “annihilate” Iran if the conflict was not resolved soon. In the following weeks, Mr. Trump said several times he would soon take a decision on whether he should “destroy” Iran. Media reports claimed that Mr. Trump could opt for a short but intense war against Iran, targeting the country’s critical infrastructure once the November 3 U.S. midterm elections were over.Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, who lost his governing majority in the October 27 elections, was pushing Mr. Trump to resume air strikes. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper were reportedly in favour of renewed strikes. Published - November 12, 2026 01:19 pm IST