"Trump Can Be Defeated": The Real Motive Behind Expanding Attacks in the Strait of Hormuz

The Washington Post reported that the Iranian leadership is seeking to expand attacks on crude oil transport vessels in the Strait of Hormuz in a calculated move to cause U.S. President Donald Trump to lose next month's midterm elections.

This assessment stems from the belief that President Trump, currently pressured by high oil prices ahead of the election, will not be as sensitive to oil prices after the midterms.

Two Iranian officials said that their government views the period leading up to the midterm elections on November 3 as a crucial window to exert pressure on President Trump, according to The Washington Post.

An Arab diplomat and a Western diplomat stated that some Iranian officials intend to "punish" President Trump in the midterm elections.

The report suggests they are aiming for a political blow similar to the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, which negatively impacted then-President Jimmy Carter's 1980 reelection bid.

The Arab diplomat noted that the Iranian leadership is "obsessed" with the U.S. elections, adding, "They think they can undermine the president's political standing."

Iran expanded its attacks on vessels after the United States launched operations to increase the movement of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations stated that Iran has attacked more than 20 vessels this month alone, with one of them sinking.

The U.S. military has been deploying fighter jets, drones, and special operations forces to escort ships navigating the strait daily, and thanks to these operations, the volume of crude oil shipments coming out of the Persian Gulf has significantly increased.

Regarding these U.S. escorts for oil tankers, Iran has criticized them as "smuggling."

Mohsen Rezaei, secretary-general of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, appeared on state-run Press TV and claimed that Iran is targeting five to six ships every night.

Iranian state media outlets have daily been featuring energy prices, President Trump's approval ratings, and the possibility of a Republican defeat in the midterms as major topics.

Iran anticipates that if the Republican Party loses the midterms, it could disrupt President Trump's prosecution of war and ultimately benefit Iran.

Reported by Jung Da-eun | Video by Jang Yu-jin | Graphics by Lee Jeong-ju | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.