Iranian Official: Shift in Tactics Aims to Push Up Oil Prices Ahead of US Midterm Elections
Since the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, Tehran has been seeking different strategies to gain control over the Strait of Hormuz and secure leverage in negotiations with Washington. A senior Iranian official revealed that Iran is deploying new tactics targeting vessels transiting the strait, aiming to drive up international oil prices and influence the upcoming US midterm elections.
Iranian threats and attacks have sharply reduced traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and pushed up global oil prices, although some oil shipments continue to pass through the waterway. About 10 days ago, Iran began using different methods to attack vessels that violated its restrictions, leading to a significant increase in attacks.
US military officials confirmed that Iran has undergone a major tactical shift. With most of its radar installations destroyed by US forces, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has turned to small, unarmed reconnaissance boats known as dhows to identify targets at close range, including US naval vessels.
US President Donald Trump said publicly on October 13 that Washington would make a major decision on Iran soon. Meanwhile, White House officials reiterated that the United States would not launch an attack on Iran before Election Day for the US midterm elections on November 3 this year.
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