Trump accuses Iran of inflating oil prices after war expansion threat

US President Donald Trump accused Iran on Thursday of deliberately raising oil prices ahead of the US midterm elections, following a threat by Iran's Revolutionary Guard to expand the regional war. Trump said on his Truth Social platform that Iran is "doing everything in its power to raise oil prices" before the November 3 elections, calling Tehran "a truly evil regime." He also accused Iran of "claiming false attacks" in the Strait of Hormuz, asserting more oil passes through the strait now than before the war began in late February. The Revolutionary Guard earlier threatened to target US bases in the Middle East if the US military continues escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a "serious warning." Polls suggest Trump's party may lose control of one or both houses of Congress in the midterm elections.