Trump Says Iran War ‘Can Be Over Very Soon’ Amid Stalled Peace Talks
Negotiators departed Pakistan last weekend without reaching an agreement, casting uncertainty over ongoing peace efforts. Despite this, President Donald Trump has expressed optimism that the conflict in Iran could conclude imminently, even as the U.S. military maintains a blockade at the Strait of Hormuz, contributing to continued volatility in global oil markets.
“I think it can be over very soon. If they’re smart, it will end soon,” Trump stated, referring to Iranian negotiators during an interview aired Wednesday on Fox Business’ “Mornings With Maria Bartiromo.” He reiterated a consistent red line: “It’s really about no nuclear, they cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
Peace discussions in Islamabad, led by Vice President JD Vance, reportedly collapsed over the weekend. Vance informed reporters that Iranian representatives declined to commit to ceasing the development of a nuclear weapon. “They have chosen not to accept our terms,” Vance explained. “The simple fact is that we need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon.”
While no further talks between American and Iranian negotiators have been publicly announced, Trump told a New York Post reporter on Tuesday that “something could be happening over the next two days, and we’re more inclined to go [to Pakistan],” commending Pakistani leaders for their role in the negotiations.
The ongoing blockade in the Strait of Hormuz threatens to worsen existing shortages of crucial agricultural commodities and helium, supplies of which are already scarce following Iran’s earlier closure of the strait. Concurrently, oil and gasoline prices have remained stubbornly high, a concerning indicator for Republicans as the fall midterm elections approach.
Despite negotiations being stalled and the conflict extending beyond Trump’s initial four-to-six-week projection, the president has been quick to declare military success. “They have no navy,” he asserted. “They have no air force. Everything has been wiped out. They have no anti-aircraft equipment. They have no radar. They have no leaders. The leaders they have — and now it’s a new regime — and we find them pretty reasonable to be honest with you, by comparison pretty reasonable. It really is a new regime.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed reporters at a Wednesday briefing, stating that the administration “feels good about the prospects of a deal” but refuted claims that an extension of the ceasefire agreement from April had been formally requested. She emphasized, “It’s obviously in the best interests of Iran to meet the president’s demands. I think he’s made his red lines in these negotiations very clear to the other side, and so we are continuing to see how these conversations go.”
Also on Wednesday, Trump posted on Truth Social, claiming that China had agreed not to supply weapons to Tehran ahead of his mid-May visit to the country. He wrote that Beijing “is very happy” with the American initiative to compel Iran to reopen the strait, adding that Chinese President Xi Jinping “will give me a big, fat, hug when I get there in a few weeks.”
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