A targeted attack on Qeshm lasting a few minutes to flex its muscles and show that the United States is not letting go. The decisive action, however, masks the high tension within the Trump administration over how to proceed with the conflict, which is mainly responsible for the Republicans' crushing defeat in the midterm elections. Trump is under pressure from the different currents that are clashing in the White House as he tries to decide whether to go back to attacking or favor the diplomatic path. "We have to decide. I would prefer not to destroy the rest of the country if possible, but maybe we should do it. You will know soon," Trump said after the midterms, confirming that he had not yet dissolved the reservations. The commander-in-chief has on one side the head of the Pentagon Pete Hegseth and the number one of the US Central Command Brad Cooper who are pushing for an escalation, also supported by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On the other, the secretaries of state and Treasury, Marco Rubio and Scott Bessent, who are pushing for further sanctions and the continuation of the American blockade in the Gulf so as to suffocate and subdue Iran. Supported by Trump, Bessent recently spoke about Iran also with China, asking - reports the Washington Post - to use its influence on Tehran to put an end to the conflict. At the forefront of finding a solution is JD Vance: with 2028 in sight, the vice president is in constant contact with mediators from Qatar and Pakistan, who are discussing the possibility of a technical meeting between the United States and Iran in the coming days. For Vance, ending the war would be an opportunity to relaunch his presidential candidacy, which appears in danger after the blue wave that emerged from the midterms. Rubio's push for a diplomatic solution also appears to be part of a race for the White House. Despite not having been directly involved in the negotiations with Iran, Rubio is the secretary of state (as well as national security advisor), a role that hardly shields him from criticism of a conflict rejected by the Americans. Negotiations continue behind the scenes and, according to rumors reported by the Wall Street Journal, the agreement under discussion envisages reducing the time of preliminary negotiations from 60 days - the duration foreseen by the June memorandum - to two days, and then immediately moving on to nuclear negotiations. This option would open a way out for the president to begin ending the conflict. However, it is not clear whether Iran will accept this hypothesis. Like many lame duck presidents, Trump is likely to devote more time to foreign policy, an area where his power is less limited by Congress. This means that the war in Iran and the one in Ukraine will be his priorities, which however - observers say - he must approach aware of being politically weaker. The outcome of the vote appears capable of strengthening Ukraine, Europe and perhaps Iran. Russia, on the other hand, could lose ground because Trump's ability to reach an agreement favorable to Vladimir Putin is now more limited.
