The expert explained the US desire for a deal with Iran by the upcoming congressional elections

Washington is seeking to reach a deal with Tehran due to the domestic political situation and the need to show success before the midterm autumn congressional elections. This opinion was expressed on May 7 in an interview with Izvestia by Murad Sadigzade, President of the Center for Middle East Studies, a visiting lecturer at the Faculty of World Economics and World Politics at the National Research University Higher School of Economics.

"Let me remind you that midterm elections are expected in November, and now the Republicans are in a very bad position and risk even losing their majority in both houses of parliament," he said.

According to the expert, the situation around Iran is influenced not only by the regional situation, but also by internal processes in the United States. Sadigzade noted that the administration of the head of the White House, Donald Trump, urgently needs to demonstrate a successful case in foreign policy.

The expert believes that there are more opportunities for concluding an agreement with Iran now than before, since Trump is highly dependent on the sentiments of his electorate. At the same time, military actions against the Islamic republic are unpopular within the United States, which may prompt Washington to make concessions and try to present a possible agreement as a victory.

The president of the Center for Middle East Studies also said that the damage from the military campaign is difficult to assess due to the concealment of much of the information. At the same time, according to him, the United States really suffered heavy losses. The Pentagon estimated them at $25 billion, however, according to various sources, they may exceed $70 billion, taking into account the loss of military equipment and damage to infrastructure in the Middle East.

"Certain articles have appeared in the Western media, which cite photographs and satellite images of the US Naval air base. They really suffered a lot of damage. Their recovery will not last several months, but maybe even several years," the source told Izvestia.

In addition, according to military experts, American weapons stocks are seriously depleted, and high demand for weapons can lead to higher prices from private companies.

Sadigzade added that the economic consequences for Washington may increase due to rising energy prices amid the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz and difficulties in supplying resources to world markets from the Persian Gulf countries.

At the same time, the expert stressed that from the very beginning Iran was ready for negotiations and normalization of relations with the United States in exchange for easing sanctions and the opportunity to enter the global oil and gas markets more calmly. Tehran is ready for agreements and does not ideologically seek to inflict a strategic defeat on the United States or Israel, Sadigzadeh concluded.

Shock without trepidation: how much did Operation Epic Fury cost America

Washington is curtailing the active phase of the operation against Iran, having failed to achieve regime change and faced with a shortage of missiles.

On April 25, NBC News estimated the US spending on the restoration of military bases in the Middle East. It was clarified that the facilities received extensive damage as a result of Iranian strikes, the scale of which significantly exceeds official data. Lawmakers point to the Pentagon's refusal to provide reliable information about the state of military installations in the Middle East.

The Reuters news agency reported on April 29 that global oil prices continue to rise steadily amid concerns about supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz. It was clarified that the increase in quotations was related to reports of the US intention to extend the blockade of Iranian ports, which could worsen the shortage of supplies from the key oil-producing region of the Middle East.

The Washington Post (WP) reported on May 4 that the Trump administration is preparing for a likely defeat in the November elections. It was clarified that the concern in the administration is related to the decline in the ratings of the head of the White House and the deterioration of the positions of Republicans.

On May 6, the head of the White House called the export of Iranian nuclear fuel to the United States one of the conditions of a potential deal. Speaking about the text of the agreement, he pointed out the absence of a clause on the use of Tehran's underground facilities and confirmed his intention to ease sanctions against the Islamic Republic.