Trump Turns Down Iran's Seven-Day Ceasefire, Signals More Strikes After Midterms
Donald Trump has rejected Iran's proposal for a seven-day ceasefire and told aides he expects US bombing to resume after the 3 November midterms.
US President Donald Trump has turned down a proposal from Iran for a seven-day ceasefire, closing off a short-term pause in hostilities between Washington and Tehran.
The rejection came on Friday local time. According to the account of the discussions, Trump also told close aides that he anticipates the United States will resume bombing after the country's midterm elections, which are scheduled for 3 November.
The decision leaves the immediate trajectory of the conflict unchanged, with no truce in place and the prospect of further military action deferred rather than dropped. By tying the expected resumption of strikes to the electoral calendar, the president's reported remarks suggest the timing of any renewed campaign is being weighed against domestic political considerations.
No details were provided on the terms Iran attached to its ceasefire offer, nor on how the administration communicated its refusal. There was also no indication of what conditions, if any, Washington might accept for halting operations.
The exchange marks the latest turn in the US-Iran confrontation, which has already drawn in regional and international attention. With the ceasefire bid set aside, diplomatic avenues for a near-term de-escalation appear to have narrowed, while the question of when strikes might restart now hangs on the outcome and timing of the midterm vote.