US attacks on Iran before congressional elections on November 3 remain a "realistic possibility" despite disavowals by President Donald Trump, a spokesman for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says.
This is "a very realistic possibility, as the Trump administration needs to be able to point to a success before the midterms," Hossein Mohebbi told the Tehran Times newspaper.
Iran is prepared for such a scenario, he added.
Concerns about a renewed escalation of the war in Iran have recently increased.
On Thursday last week, Trump denied that he intended to attack Iran before the elections.
The US administration said it was holding "constructive talks" with Iranian authorities.
Iran's leadership has instead pointed to previous attacks that occurred while negotiations with the United States were under way.
Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the possibility of a new large-scale military campaign against Iran last week, according to US news outlet Axios.
Meanwhile, Israeli media published conflicting accounts of the discussions between the two allies.
Netanyahu, speaking to Israeli military radio, said a military confrontation would be inconvenient for Israel at present.
At the same time, he warned Iran against attacking Israel. #
If Iran did so, it would face an "unimaginable response," he told the broadcaster.
The US and Israel began their war against Iran on February 28.
The conflict remains unresolved and negotiations have been deadlocked for months.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps navy said on Wednesday that a cargo ship sank after striking a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz.
It was the first time Iranian authorities had reported a ship sinking after hitting a mine during the war.
Shipping officials, meanwhile, said two Singapore-registered cargo vessels had been hit by "unknown projectiles" as they went through the strait on Tuesday and Wednesday.
One sank while the other reached safety.
All crew members were relocated from the first ship and no injuries were reported in either incident, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said.
"Such attacks are unprovoked, unjustifiable, and a breach of international law," the authority said.
It was unclear, however, if the Singapore-flagged vessel that sank was the same ship Iran said had struck a mine.
with AP
