Esper: Iranians want to ‘get what they can’ before midterms

Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper said late Wednesday Iran will attempt to leverage as much as it can in peace negotiations with the U.S. ahead of midterm elections, after which he predicted President Trump will “unleash” America’s military might on the country.

“His hand will become freer after the election for sure, and the Iranians know that,” Esper said of Trump on NewsNation’s “The Hill.” “So this is the Iranians’ time of maximum negotiation – get what they can now, because after November 4th, when [Trump] . . . doesn’t have to worry about the politics and economics, he can really unleash the United States military once again after Iran.”

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) to end the conflict between Washington and Tehran, signed in June, included a ceasefire between the two sides and a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane. The brief, controversial document did not, however, include........

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