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President Donald Trump accused Iran of inventing maritime attacks and mine incidents to manipulate global oil prices before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, as new shipping data showed Middle Eastern oil exports exceeding prewar levels despite continued regional tensions.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump accused Iran on Thursday, Oct. 22, of deliberately attempting to increase oil prices ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, alleging that Tehran has fabricated reports of tanker attacks and naval mine incidents in the Strait of Hormuz to create uncertainty in global energy markets.
Trump made the accusations in a Truth Social statement following Iranian claims that seven commercial vessels were attacked or damaged overnight in the strategically important waterway.
“Iran is doing everything they can to drive up the price of Oil prior to the U.S. Midterm Election,” Trump wrote. “They are even making up fake hits, mines, and everything else, because more Oil is coming through the Hormuz Strait now than it did even prior to the beginning of the Conflict.”
The president’s remarks followed reports from Iranian state television citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy, which claimed that four tankers were struck while transferring oil and three additional vessels hit naval mines.
Iranian officials did not identify the vessels or provide casualty figures. Independent maritime monitors had not confirmed all seven reported incidents.
The Revolutionary Guard also threatened to target American military installations if U.S. forces continued helping commercial vessels navigate the strait.
Trump rejected Tehran’s account, arguing that Iran was attempting to influence energy markets at a politically sensitive time for his administration.
Oil prices have become a major economic concern ahead of the Nov. 3 congressional elections, with prolonged Middle East tensions contributing to higher transportation, shipping and fuel costs.
The president’s accusations came as new shipping figures indicated that regional petroleum exports had recovered despite repeated disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to reporting on data from maritime intelligence firm Kpler, Middle Eastern oil shipments averaged more than 24 million barrels per day during the week ending Oct. 18, exceeding the prewar average of approximately 23.3 million barrels.
However, the figures include shipments transported through alternative routes, meaning the overall recovery does not establish that traffic through the Strait of Hormuz itself has surpassed prewar levels.
A separate Financial Times report found that regional exports had recovered to approximately 24.6 million barrels per day, supported by pipeline diversions, alternative ports and offshore transfers.
Shipping through the strait itself remains below prewar levels, even as regional producers have expanded alternative methods of transporting petroleum.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have increasingly relied on pipelines and export facilities outside the strait, reducing their dependence on the waterway.
Some commercial tankers have also adopted new shipping arrangements to minimize exposure to attacks while maintaining deliveries.
Despite those adjustments, the continuing threat of maritime incidents has increased insurance premiums and transportation expenses, contributing to elevated global oil prices.
Trump also used Thursday’s statement to condemn Iran’s treatment of antigovernment protesters.
“They continue to kill protestors, and anyone else that happens to be in their way,” he wrote. “It is truly an Evil Regime, and I can only hope the American Public, and the World, understands how EVIL they are!”
The president asserted that 75,000 protesters had been killed during recent unrest.
“75,000 protestors lie dead in less than seven months. It is shocking how the World, and the Dumocrat Party, seem not to care,” Trump added.
He did not identify the source of the death toll, which has not been independently verified.
Trump previously cited the same figure during a campaign rally in Kansas on Monday, although he described the period as eight months rather than seven, according to The Jerusalem Post.
The conflicting timeframes and absence of supporting evidence leave the precise number of protest-related deaths uncertain.
The president concluded his message by reaffirming his administration’s position that Iran must never acquire nuclear weapons.
“IRAN CAN NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON, AND THEY WILL NEVER A NUCLEAR WEAPON!” he wrote.
The latest exchange comes amid continuing indirect negotiations between Washington and Tehran, with both governments considering proposals intended to reduce hostilities.
Trump has stated that the United States will not launch renewed military strikes against Iran before the midterms, while maintaining the American naval blockade of Iranian ports.
The administration has also continued supporting efforts to protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran, meanwhile, has warned that further military action could trigger retaliation against American bases and regional infrastructure.
Although regional oil exports have rebounded, the reported maritime attacks and competing claims from Washington and Tehran demonstrate that tensions remain unresolved.
Trump’s allegation that Iran fabricated the latest tanker incidents has not been independently established, and the extent of any damage to the seven vessels remains unclear.
With the midterm elections approaching, energy prices and the possibility of renewed military confrontation remain central concerns for both American policymakers and international oil markets.
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