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Akbar Novruz

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US President Donald Trump has pledged to provide every American adult with a $5,000 payment if Republicans retain control of both chambers of Congress in November’s midterm elections.

Speaking at the Republican Party’s midterm convention in Dallas, Trump said the proposed payment, which he called the “Trump Dividend,” would be financed by what he described as the “strength of the U.S. economy.”

The pledge comes as the administration faces growing economic and political pressure linked to the war with Iran and its impact on energy prices.

Trump also said he expected the conflict with Iran to end after the November midterm elections, while again warning that the United States could strike a facility connected to Iran’s nuclear program.

The remarks came after Iran and the United States carried out their largest wave of attacks on shipping since the six-month-old conflict began, further raising concerns over the security of major maritime trade routes.

Regional tensions also remained elevated. Saudi civil defence authorities issued emergency alerts in the southwestern city of Khamis Mushait for the fourth time in 24 hours as clashes intensified with Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis.

Brent crude prices remained above $100 a barrel as shipping through both the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea faced significant disruption.

Iran said it had attacked 10 ships near the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, following the US sinking of five Iranian oil tankers. The latest incidents added to a series of reciprocal attacks between Washington and Tehran, with prospects for an immediate end to hostilities remaining limited.

The conflict and resulting rise in fuel prices have also contributed to a decline in Trump’s approval ratings, according to the supplied report.

Trump has accused Tehran of attempting to influence the November elections, which will determine whether Republicans maintain their current control of Congress.