Middle East Tensions Persist: U.S. Psychiatrist Raises New Concerns Over Trump’s Behavior

Washington/Tehran
Nearly seven months have passed since U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered the war in the Middle East, and while tensions remain high, diplomatic openings appear to be emerging. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Tehran is ready to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if Washington eases military pressure and lifts the blockade on Iranian ports. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington is willing to meet Iranian officials at the UN, while reiterating that Iran “can never” acquire nuclear weapons. Oil prices fell to a two-week low amid improved supply prospects, with Brent crude dropping to $98.33 a barrel.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is set to address the UN General Assembly, where he intends to present to the world “alleged crimes committed against Iranian civilians” during the conflict. Meanwhile, President Trump dismissed reports that U.S. munitions stockpiles had fallen to dangerously low levels. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard also announced plans to reverse-engineer a captured U.S. underwater surveillance drone. Fighting also continued in Yemen, where clashes in Taiz, Marib and Al-Jawf displaced thousands, prompting the UK to signal an increase in military aid to Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Bandy Lee, a forensic psychiatrist who has long criticized Trump’s mental fitness, raised fresh concerns following his recent remarks about the 9/11 anniversary. Trump had claimed firefighters carried him away from Ground Zero shortly after the towers collapsed — a claim news outlets could not verify. Dr. Lee described it as reflecting a deep-seated habit of inserting himself into major historical events and warned there is no institutional mechanism to revoke a president’s nuclear command authority. The White House strongly rejected the assessment, with spokesman Davis Ingle saying Trump remains fully fit and capable.