US President Donald Trump mocked Iranian leaders during a campaign rally in Clarksville, Tennessee, on Saturday, October 10, imitating their rhetoric and chanting “Praise be to Allah”.
Trump portrayed an Iranian speaker threatening to kill people, repeating the phrase “We will kill everyone” before mimicking a group of people behind the speaker chanting “Praise be to Allah” three times. He then said, “Man, you guys, you’re really crazy.”
The remarks came amid continuing tensions between Washington and Tehran, with Trump suggesting that Iran could intensify its actions ahead of the November 3 US midterm elections.
“They’re sort of calming down. They’ll probably do a little bit extra before the election, thinking it’s going to hurt us, but we could end it really quick. They don’t know how nice I’ve been to them,” Trump told supporters.
Trump rules out strikes on Iran before midterms
Trump said the United States would not attack Iran before the midterm elections, citing ongoing discussions with Tehran, while maintaining that the naval blockade would remain in force.
In a post on Truth Social on Thursday, October 8, he described the discussions as “productive” and claimed that Iran was in a poor economic and military position.
“I want to make it clear to everybody that, while Iran is in very bad condition, both Economically and Militarily, and while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect…we will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections,” he wrote.
“We are having productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he added, without providing further details.
Trump also claimed that 22 million barrels of oil had passed through the Strait of Hormuz in a single night, with none originating from or destined for Iran. The figure could not be independently verified.
He reiterated his opposition to Iran acquiring nuclear weapons, writing: “IRAN WILL NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!”
US-Iran conflict and Strait of Hormuz tensions
The United States launched its initial attacks on Iran on February 28, escalating a conflict that has heightened tensions across West Asia.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is a major route for international oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, making its security important to global energy markets and oil-importing countries, including India.
The US blockade was first imposed in April after negotiations in Islamabad collapsed and reinstated in July following a brief agreement in June to end the fighting.
Hostilities intensified again in early September when US forces struck rocket launchers on Iran’s Larak Island. Tehran responded with missile attacks targeting American military bases in Jordan and the UAE.
