Iran War May End in Weeks if Deal Reached: Trump; Tehran Rejects US Optimism

Washington: US President Donald Trump has said the ongoing military conflict with Iran could end within the next two to three weeks, expressing confidence in the progress of the mission while indicating that a quicker resolution is possible if diplomatic efforts succeed.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said a deal with Iran remains possible. “It’s possible that we’ll have a deal because they want to make a deal. They want to make a deal more than I want to make a deal. But in a fairly short period of time, we’ll be finished,” he said.

Trump also suggested that the current Iranian leadership involved in talks appeared more pragmatic compared to previous administrations.

However, Iran rejected the US assessment. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the trust level between the two countries remains “at zero” and ruled out the possibility of meaningful negotiations at present.

In an interview, Araghchi said Iran has not had positive experiences in past negotiations with the United States and cited previous agreements and recent hostilities as reasons for the current deadlock.

He also warned that Iran’s armed forces are prepared to respond to any possible US ground operation, calling such a move a mistake and asserting that Tehran is capable of defending itself.

On the Strait of Hormuz issue, Trump indicated that the United States should not bear sole responsibility for securing the strategic waterway and said other nations should take a larger role.

Iran, however, maintained that restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz apply only to countries involved in hostilities against it and stated that the waterway falls within the territorial jurisdiction of Iran and Oman.

The conflicting positions reflect continuing tensions between Washington and Tehran even as diplomatic channels remain uncertain.