Iran prolonging U.S. talks to weaken Trump before midterms, officials say

Senior officials said on October 20, 2026 that Iran has deliberately prolonged talks with the U.S. to weaken Donald Trump politically ahead of November's midterms, Reuters reported. Tehran analyst Saeed Leylaz said 'by prolonging talks, Iran is influencing the U.S. election without taking any unlawful action.' Qatar said negotiations were continuing.