U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said the war with Iran could last another year. In an interview with the Financial Times published Friday, Waltz said the United States could still be fighting 12 months from now. President Trump had initially said the conflict would last “four to five weeks.”
Waltz said the U.S. will not reach its key goals until Iran disposes of its highly enriched uranium and accepts a “meaningful agreement” on domestic enrichment. He said the U.S. Navy can maintain its blockade of Iranian ports “for the foreseeable future,” and that the administration is still tightening economic pressure on Tehran.
Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have renewed threats to launch new strikes on Iran after the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
Brent crude hit $112 a barrel Thursday morning, its highest level since May 18. Trump accused Iran of lying about tanker attacks in the Strait of Hormuz to push up prices before the midterms. Iran said it struck four vessels that used a U.S.-endorsed southern route through the strait, which Tehran rejects, and that three others hit sea mines. The U.S. military has escorted tankers out of the Gulf along that route, but the process is costly.
Foreign ministers from seven nations are meeting in Istanbul on Friday to discuss the Strait of Hormuz, the Middle East and Ukraine. For South Florida drivers and fuel buyers, the disruption means energy prices are likely to stay elevated while the standoff continues.
