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Tuesday, 3 November 2026dailybeirut.com
World
US President Donald Trump reiterated threats to target Iran's 'Mountain of the Axe' site, stating Washington could execute a strike within an hour. These remarks followed recent US military strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island.
US President Donald Trump renewed his threats to target the "Mountain of the Axe" site in Iran, asserting that Washington is capable of executing the strike within an hour. The statements came shortly after US forces launched attacks on Iran's Qeshm Island.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump said that while Iran possesses some missiles and drones, its capacity to produce more is extremely limited. He emphasized that Washington is negotiating with Tehran "from a position of absolute strength," adding that it might be forced to target the "Mountain of the Axe" site within an hour if necessary.
Trump stated that Tehran is not in a good negotiating position and that its economy is collapsing. However, he affirmed that the Iranians desperately want to reach an agreement, noting there is a "very good chance" of achieving one, considering that a deal is the best option to save lives if possible.
In a post on Truth Social on the eve of the midterm elections, Trump said oil prices had dropped by approximately $10 per barrel, describing this as the largest daily decline in oil history. He linked the drop to markets sensing that the war with Iran would not continue, confirming that Tehran wants a settlement as soon as possible.
However, oil prices quickly rebounded following the strikes carried out by US forces on sites in Iran's Qeshm Island.
US Vice President JD Vance previously stated that Washington and Tehran had made some progress in talks. He noted that Trump retains both military and non-military options, and that both sides feel great optimism about the possibility of reaching an agreement, conditional on Iran committing to not rebuilding its nuclear program.
The statements come amid negotiations with Qatari mediators in Doha, where Iranian negotiators left the city after a proposed framework was circulated for discussion. Meanwhile, Trump refuses to rule out resuming strikes, amidst reports of Israeli pressure to launch a widespread aerial campaign after the elections.
