Tuesday Edition · Tue 20 Oct 2026
Iranian Officials Say Tehran Is Prolonging US Talks to Weaken Trump Before the Midterms, Reuters Reports
Three senior Iranian officials and an insider told Reuters that Tehran is deliberately slowing negotiations with Washington to deny President Donald Trump a political win before the 3 November midterm elections. The account comes as Iran's seaborne crude exports sit at zero and the US defence secretary made an unannounced visit to Israel.
Chanan Zevin - Chief Editor and Head of Desks
Published
What the officials said
Iran is dragging out talks with the United States on purpose, according to three senior Iranian officials and an insider who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity on Tuesday. They said the aim is to deny Donald Trump a diplomatic victory before the 3 November midterm elections. The officials also told Reuters that Tehran expects renewed US and Israeli strikes. These are the officials' own descriptions of Iranian strategy and of what they believe Washington intends. They have not been confirmed by the US government, and the Journal does not present them as established fact.
The offer still on the table
The talks centre on a seven-day proposal that Iran sent through Qatar, according to Reuters. Under it, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz under Iranian control. In exchange, the United States would lift its maritime blockade, ease restrictions on Iranian oil exports, release frozen assets and end hostilities. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday that the offer remains on the table. A standing offer and a deliberate slowdown are not contradictory. A government can keep terms open while choosing not to close a deal on its opponent's timetable.
Exports already at zero
The economic pressure on Iran is severe. Iranian seaborne crude exports have been at zero since the second week of September, according to data from the tanker-tracking firm Vortexa cited by Reuters. Before the blockade, oil sales were the largest single source of state revenue. That cuts against the idea that time is costless for Tehran. Every week without exports drains reserves and squeezes the budget. The officials' account suggests the leadership has judged that the political cost to Trump outweighs its own economic cost, at least until polling day.
Hegseth in Israel
On Monday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made an unannounced visit to Israel and met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Reuters reported. Neither side published a detailed readout of military planning. The timing will be read in Tehran alongside the officials' expectation of renewed strikes. It can equally be read in Washington as a signal of resolve meant to raise the cost of delay. Without published statements, the purpose of the visit should be treated as unconfirmed.
Why the calendar matters
The midterms give both governments a clock. Trump would benefit from a visible deal that reopens Hormuz and lowers fuel prices before voters cast ballots. Iran's officials appear to believe that withholding that deal increases their leverage after the election. For markets, the consequence is that a diplomatic breakthrough before 3 November looks less likely than it did a week ago, if the Reuters account is accurate. Brent crude traded above $110 a barrel on Tuesday, near a five-month high.
What is not known
Several important questions remain open. It is not clear how widely the strategy described by the officials is shared inside Iran's leadership, including by the Supreme Leader's office. It is not known whether Qatar's mediation is still active day to day. Nor is it known whether Washington has replied formally to the seven-day proposal. Anonymous accounts can also be used to send messages to the other side, which is a reason for caution.
What to watch
The next signals are likely to come from Doha, from any change in US blockade enforcement and from tanker data. A resumption of Iranian loadings recorded by Vortexa or other trackers would be the clearest sign that talks have moved. A strike on Iranian territory would confirm the officials' fears and probably end the current track. Until then, the Journal will treat the stalling account as a credible, sourced report rather than a confirmed policy.
Sources
- Reuters, Iranian officials say Tehran prolonging talks with US to weaken Trump before midterms, 20 Oct 2026
- Reuters, Hegseth makes unannounced visit to Israel, meets Netanyahu, 19 Oct 2026
- Vortexa tanker-tracking data, as cited by Reuters, Oct 2026
- Associated Press via Transport Topics, Oil prices rise sharply, 20 Oct 2026 · ttnews.com
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