Iran War Updates: Trump Envoy Says War Could Last Another Year as Oil Prices Keep Rising

The war between the United States and Iran shows no signs of ending soon. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said the conflict could last another full year. President Trump had earlier promised the war would last only four to five weeks. Waltz said Iran must get rid of its highly enriched uranium and agree to a deal before the fighting can stop.

When asked about Waltz's comments, President Trump said the U.S. could end the war quickly if it chose to. He described Iran as a failing nation and said the U.S. is already getting what it wants from the conflict. 'The question is, do we want to finish it off or do we just want to let it wither?' Trump said. He also claimed the U.S. could take all of Iran's oil if it wanted to.

Oil prices kept rising this week, reaching their highest point since May. A barrel of Brent crude oil climbed to over $117, up from less than $97 at the start of October. Higher oil prices hurt the stock market. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped more than 550 points on Friday.

Iran claimed it attacked four commercial ships in the Persian Gulf and said three others hit sea mines. Iran said the ships were using a shipping route approved by the U.S. that Iran does not recognize. President Trump called these claims lies, saying Iran was making up attacks to push oil prices higher before the midterm elections on November 3. None of Iran's claims have been confirmed.

An oil spill was reported near the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Friday. A tanker called the Gem No. 2 appears to be the source of the spill, according to analysts. The oil slick covered about 160 square kilometers near the beaches of Umm Al Quwain, an emirate north of Dubai. UAE authorities closed the beaches and sent teams to clean up the spill.

Saudi Arabia's state oil company, Saudi Aramco, said the flow of oil through its East-West pipeline more than tripled. The pipeline moves oil from Saudi oil fields on the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea coast, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. Oil flow went from 2 million barrels per day to 7 million barrels per day. This helped Saudi Arabia keep exporting oil despite the dangers in the strait.

The United Nations warned that people in the Yemeni city of Taiz are in serious danger. Pro-Iran Houthi fighters have surrounded the city since early October and blocked roads into it. The U.N. said the water supply has dropped by about half because fuel trucks cannot get through. 'Safe and unimpeded humanitarian access is urgently needed,' the U.N. said.

Eight countries held talks in Istanbul, Turkey, on Friday about the growing crisis. Foreign ministers from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Egypt all attended. They urged both Iran and the U.S. to avoid more fighting. France's foreign minister warned that further escalation 'would create nothing but losers.'