Iran has deliberately prolonged negotiations with the United States as it seeks to weaken Donald Trump politically ahead of November’s US midterm elections, according to senior officials cited by Reuters. Fears of renewed military action and deep mistrust of Washington have strengthened Tehran’s reluctance to reach a swift agreement to end the war.

Three senior Iranian officials and an Iranian with knowledge of the negotiations said Tehran was convinced the US president was prepared to resort to fresh attacks in an attempt to break the deadlock in the war, which has now been going on for eight months.

“Iran is preparing for new attacks by Israel and the US, not for a deal with America to end the war,” one of the officials said, adding: “The regime is determined not to hand Trump a political victory.”

Iranian analyst Saeed Laylaz, meanwhile, stressed that by prolonging the negotiations, “Iran is influencing the US elections without engaging in any illegal activity”.

The war, which began in February when the United States and its ally, Israel, launched attacks against Iran, has helped drive Trump’s approval rating to historic lows. Polls suggest that Americans, concerned about high petrol prices, will punish the Republican Party in the 3 November congressional