As War Costs Mount, Obama Takes Trump to Task
US President Donald Trump said he was seriously considering plans to attack Iran again. Former US President Barack Obama blamed Trump for rising prices, which he said were being driven by the war with Iran.
Trump has again signalled the possibility of further strikes on Iran, saying they could come soon.
“We’re thinking about doing it, maybe tomorrow,” Trump told reporters when asked how seriously he was considering a possible attack, according to Anadolu Agency and Al Jazeera on Sunday (25 October 2026).
Trump made the remarks on Saturday (24 October), US time. He said no one else would know if the US really did attack Iran again.
“Do you really think I’m going to tell you if I’m going to do it?” he added.
Trump said Iran could still avoid further military action by reaching an agreement with the US. “They want to make a deal, but the question is, will they abide by it?” he said.
Trump said his goal was to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons in the future. He said the previous US operation, which involved B-2 bombers, would not be enough to guarantee a lasting result.
“I have to make it permanent,” he said. “That’s the only reason I’m doing this.”
Trump also claimed that oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz had increased compared with levels before the war began, though he gave no specific figures.
He did not make a firm decision about the next steps, saying the possible outcomes were military action or negotiations.
“Maybe I have to finish it, or maybe they’ll agree to a deal,” Trump said. “But I don’t know. Whatever happens, we win.”
Iran on alert
Meanwhile, Iran’s military has been ordered to maintain its highest level of combat readiness amid the prospect of further US attacks.
The order was issued by Iran’s Army Commander, Brigadier General Ali Jahanshahi, according to Anadolu Agency and Middle East Monitor on Saturday (24 October).
Jahanshahi also warned his troops that negligence during wartime could have serious consequences.
“In wartime conditions, any negligence or carelessness can have severe consequences,” Jahanshahi was quoted as saying by Iran’s Tasnim news agency on Friday (23 October).
He said effective operational readiness required continuous training, accurate assessments of military capabilities, coordination between units, and the swift identification and correction of shortcomings.
Jahanshahi also instructed commanders at all levels to strengthen combat capabilities through careful planning, continuous supervision and effective follow-up.
Obama’s criticism
Former US President Barack Obama strongly criticised Trump’s policy. Obama said the war with Iran was now driving up the prices of almost all goods.
According to Al Jazeera on Sunday (25 October 2026), Obama called the Iran war “the reason why the price of almost everything is going up”.
“Iran did not have a nuclear weapon because I put in place a deal that everyone acknowledged was preventing them from getting one. And I didn’t have to launch a single missile to do that. I just had to do diplomacy,” Obama said at a campaign event in Ohio ahead of the US midterm elections.
“Right now, Iran has a veto over the Strait of Hormuz, the route through which oil is distributed to world markets,” the former president said.
He said the war was causing oil prices to rise, pushing up the cost of almost all goods.
“That’s why oil prices are up. That’s why diesel prices are up. That’s why the price of almost everything is going up.”
Under the 2015 agreement between the Obama administration and Iran, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran agreed to limit uranium enrichment and accept inspections in return for sanctions relief. Trump withdrew the US from the JCPOA in 2018, during his first term.