More attacks on Iran ‘highly unlikely’ as Trump says war ‘effectively over’

International

WITH negotiations gaining positive momentum, the war in Iran is "effectively over”, US President Donald Trump said.

"We're just keeping it the status quo," Trump said on Monday per a report by BBC. "And we're doing that really at the behest of countries that are their neighbours."

In a press briefing at the White House, Trump said that fresh US attacks on Iran were "highly unlikely" but that the US was "locked and loaded" should the circumstances change.

Trump made the pronouncement as Iranian officials repeatedly expressed doubts about his prior comments about resolving the conflict.

Asked why he would not officially declare an end to the conflict, Trump responded, “We have some great allies there and we have to make sure they're not hurt."

Trump hosted Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani in the Oval Office earlier on Monday, saying they had an "excellent conversation" about negotiations to end the war.

In a post on X, the Qatari prime minister said he held "positive discussions" with Trump and Vice-President JD Vance on "reaching a deal and bringing peace to the region".

Efforts to broker a peace between Washington and Tehran have largely been held indirectly through mediators since the war first broke out following joint US-Israeli strikes in February, the report said.

Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are among the US's Gulf allies that have been hit by Iranian strikes over the course of the war, in addition to threats of strikes that have led to major air travel disruptions in the region.

It was not the first time that Trump has said the Iran war is "militarily" over, but the circumstances for him are different now.

Trump has hinted at de-escalation in Iran after a bruising set of midterm election results for the Republicans last week, which senior figures including Vice-President Vance blamed on the Iran War.(MyTVCebu)