Putin: Moscow is ready to help settle the war in the Middle East

In Washington, US President Donald Trump spoke on Thursday about "productive discussions" with Iran, despite the stalling of diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war, ruling out launching a new attack on it before the midterm elections scheduled in the United States on November 3.

Trump wrote on his platform "Truth Social": "We are having productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran."

He explained that Iran is facing a "very bad situation, economically and militarily," noting that the US naval blockade will remain imposed "at full force," and confirming: "We will not launch an attack on Iran before the midterm elections that will be held in the United States on November 3."

Trump pointed out that "oil is flowing in record numbers of barrels through the Strait of Hormuz," explaining that 22 million barrels passed during the previous night, "without a single barrel leaving or entering Iran."

Trump's statements come at a time when crude oil prices continued their rise on Thursday, following a report stating that the White House is considering carrying out strikes on Iran before the midterm elections.

According to the magazine, supporters of these strikes do not believe they will force Iran to sit at the negotiating table or reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but they hope they will constitute a show of force before the elections.

For his part, the "Axios" website reported, citing unnamed sources, that the final decision regarding carrying out the strikes has not yet been made, noting that "if large-scale battles resume, they will include intensive bombing of energy infrastructure and Iranian nuclear sites."