Washington: US officials have instructed several Middle Eastern nations and regional partners to prepare for prospective renewed military operations against Iran following next week’s midterm elections, as well as potential Iranian retaliation, according to two diplomats briefed on the communications.

Both diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to publicly discuss the sensitive warnings delivered by American diplomatic and defence officials.

President Donald Trump has not issued a final decision regarding whether to launch new strikes against Iran, the diplomats emphasised. However, the president has repeatedly indicated he is evaluating new military action once the crucial November 3 elections conclude.

These warnings and fresh US urgings for allies to prepare for retaliatory responses have put the region on heightened alert for a potential resumption of major combat operations.

The White House and US officials declined to comment.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated Wednesday in a post on X that Tehran “continues to give diplomacy a chance to succeed” and is collaborating with mediators to evaluate ideas included in a proposal submitted last month—which Trump rejected—that Iranian officials still want utilised as the framework for a ceasefire return.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry of the United Arab Emirates released a statement urging all parties to “exercise wisdom and pursue political solutions to help contain tensions” and avert a resumption of full-scale conflict in the war that began in late February.

US representatives informed regional partners that any new phase of military action could persist for several days, though regional officials are preparing for Iran and its allied proxy networks to strike back, potentially prolonging the engagement, the diplomats noted.

Allies were also advised by American officials to implement defensive measures in anticipation that Iranian retaliation could target energy infrastructure and vital facilities.

Although the U.S. has not executed strikes against Iran since early September, the regional environment has grown increasingly complex.

The conflict has expanded, with Iran-backed Houthi forces conducting attacks against Saudi Arabian oil installations and aviation hubs. A Saudi-led coalition responded with strikes targeting Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen.

The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Gulf nations had been advised to prepare for potential escalation by the US.

It remains unclear how quickly after Election Day the US military would be positioned to resume offensive strikes.

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Late last month, the Pentagon deployed the USS Theodore Roosevelt alongside a detachment of amphibious landing ships carrying Marines, totalling roughly 9,000 personnel, from San Diego to the Persian Gulf to reinforce US military posture.

At the time, a US official indicated the deployment could elevate naval presence to over 20,000 sailors and Marines, alongside hundreds of aircraft, a concentration seen only a handful of times in the past two decades. The US Navy previously operated three carrier strike groups in the Middle East in April for the first time since 2003.

Trump, who has concentrated on campaign appearances for Republicans ahead of the November 3 polls, has remained ambiguous about his next steps regarding Iran.

The conflict has placed a heavy burden on Republican candidates seeking to persuade voters impacted by rising fuel costs, a byproduct of the war that has inflated expenses across the global economy.

The financial cost of the conflict with Iran for American taxpayers has climbed to $47.1 billion, according to the latest figures provided by the Pentagon to Congress.

While campaigning, Trump has regularly assured voters that the end of the conflict is near, while simultaneously warning that a fresh round of strikes could follow the elections.

During a campaign rally in Lubbock, Texas, on Tuesday, Trump stated that a final resolution to the eight-month-old conflict could arrive “in a couple of weeks, if you don’t mind.”

“Somebody asked me before, when will the war in Iran end?” Trump remarked earlier during the same event. “I said, ‘Whenever I want it to end.’ It’ll be very quick, but we have to have it end properly, with total and complete -- a total statement: they will never have a nuclear weapon.”

While Trump may be considering a post-election timeframe for potential action, the region remains concerned that Tehran could take action beforehand—particularly if it perceives U.S. strikes to be imminent, according to Jonathan Schanzer, executive director at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies.

“Why would they wait until after the elections here ... if they could initiate it and potentially gain the upper hand?” Schanzer said.

AP