With shifting Iran rhetoric following US elections, Trump leaves Mideast in limbo about path ahead
An AP article says that after midterm losses Trump partly blamed on the 8-month Iran war, he has backed away from both new strikes and new talks, calling the war "militarily effectively over" while warning Iran's military is "locked and loaded" and sidelining negotiator JD Vance. Anonymous diplomats say Qatar's mediation is clouded by uncertainty, Iran insists on preconditions for nuclear talks, and Rubio argues sanctions alone are collapsing Iran's economy.
