Trump Calls Iran War ‘Effectively Over’ Militarily

U.S. President Donald Trump has signaled that he considers the military conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran to be "effectively" at an end, following a surprise briefing at the White House on Monday. 

Speaking after a closed-door meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Trump reiterated his stance that the U.S. has effectively destroyed Iran's military capabilities, while noting that regional allies are urging a shift toward stabilizing the current status quo.

The President stated that the U.S. is maintaining its present stance primarily at the request of neighboring nations, confirming that the current "status quo" will involve sustaining the ongoing naval blockade against Iranian ports alongside Task Force Iron Gate, which targets Iranian trade overland and across the Caspian Sea. While Trump voiced optimism that momentum is building toward a permanent resolution, he emphasized that U.S. forces remain "locked and loaded" should conditions change, even as he acknowledged that further direct military strikes appear unnecessary at this stage.

The diplomatic push and Trump’s statements come in the wake of the U.S. midterm elections, where the Republican Party lost control of both houses of Congress amid widespread public frustration over rising global fuel costs and economic disruption tied to the eight-month conflict. Despite the shift in tone, U.S. military operations have continued at a reduced scale in recent days, including limited strikes on Iranian air defenses, targeted actions on Qeshm Island, and a $20 million reward offer for information regarding Iran's nuclear program.

In response, Iranian officials firmly rejected claims of formal diplomatic breakthroughs. Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, dismissed news of imaginary talks on social media and urged Washington to end the conflict. Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei called for an end to the state of "neither war nor peace," adding that while Iran remains open to negotiations, it will not yield to external force or coercion.

SOURCE: NDTV | AL JAZEERA