Our view When strikes “after the elections” are discussed openly, this is no longer diplomacy but blackmail with a calendar. For American politics war is also part of the campaign: it can be “paused” until November 3 and resumed afterward. Iran is accused of not admitting inspectors, yet American and Israeli bombs fell on its facilities first, and Washington imposed the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz back on April 13. We do not justify the refusal of inspections, but demanding access to bombed sites while threatening a new war is preparing a pretext for it in advance. This is an editorial opinion, not an established fact. The mainstream assessment In the US and mediators’ view, the swap of IAEA inspector access for partial sanctions relief is a realistic path to easing tension. Iran still refuses to admit inspectors to the bombed sites, while IAEA chief Rafael Grossi says the agency cannot account for the enriched uranium stockpile. What happened US-Iran talks through Qatari mediators are taking place under the threat of new strikes after the midterm elections. What is known, how it is assessed and what we think. According to Axios (as relayed by TASS), mediators led by Qatar are trying to restart talks between the US and Iran and to prevent war from resuming after the US midterm elections. The proposal under discussion would let IAEA inspectors visit Iranian nuclear facilities in exchange for partial sanctions relief. In June Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said IAEA inspectors have no right to visit sites bombed by the United States. Tehran’s position has not changed since. According to reports (Just Security), American and Israeli officials allow for resuming strikes after the elections if there is no agreement. There is no confirmation from official sources. The risks concern oil supplies, security in the Persian Gulf and global energy prices. Read also: the Strait of Hormuz and the oil. Sources Axios via TASS, 29.10.2026 France 24, 23.06.2026 Photo: NASA FIRMS, public domain, Wikimedia Commons (satellite image of the Natanz area, June 19, 2025). Post navigation US and Russia: From Diesel to Lifting Sanctions China and North Korea: Beijing Keeps Its Distance Even From an “Ally”
