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President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he has no plans to strike Iran before the midterm election.
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“We will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections to be held in the United States on November 3rd,” Trump declared on Truth Social, adding that the administration is “having productive discussions” with Tehran and that his main goal is to ensure the country does not obtain a nuclear weapon.
The president’s comments come after multiple media reports detailed the administration planning for potential new strikes before the elections — just 26 days away.
Trump emphasized that he plans to keep up economic pressure on Iran, saying the blockade of Iranian ports “will remain in full force and effect.” The administration has favored economic punishment over military strikes for months, though it’s seemingly done little to motivate Iranian officials to negotiate.
The Treasury Department announced additional sanctions against Iran on Thursday, impacting 17 vessels that officials alleged were part of a “shadow fleet” that Iran has used to ship its oil around the world. The department concluded that they had circumvented existing US sanctions to transport millions of barrels of oil and other petrochemical products to countries across south and east Asia.
“Treasury is targeting any source of the regime’s illicit revenue, as well as its sanctions evasion schemes to move funds,” the department said in its statement announcing the new sanctions.
US officials previously told CNN that the broad consensus in the administration was to hold off on further military action until after the midterm election, something Trump has indicated publicly on several occasions.
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This story has been updated with additional developments.
CNN’s Adam Cancryn contributed to this report.