Donald Trump has reportedly told his advisers that he wants to avoid a prolonged conflict with Iran and hopes to bring the war to an end within the coming weeks.
According to a report by the The Wall Street Journal, Trump privately suggested that he believes the conflict is nearing its final phase. He also urged officials to adhere to the four-to-six-week timeline he had publicly outlined, potentially concluding the situation before the mid-May summit with Xi Jinping.
Speaking separately at the NRCC Annual Fundraising Dinner on Thursday, Trump said the US had already resolved eight conflicts and was making significant progress in another in the Middle East.
“We have settled eight wars, and we are winning another. What we are doing in the Middle East with Iran is unprecedented. They are negotiating, by the way. They want a deal very badly but are afraid to admit it—both because of their own people and because of us. There has never been a leader who wanted that position less than the head of Iran,” he said.
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump prefers peace and had temporarily delayed planned strikes after Iran signalled a willingness to engage in talks. “President Trump’s preference is always peace. However, following his strong warning on Saturday evening, it became clear that Iran was open to discussions,” she said.
Leavitt added that productive conversations over the past three days prompted Trump to instruct the defence department to postpone planned strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure.
She also cautioned that Iran should not miscalculate again, warning that previous actions had already cost it significant military losses. “President Trump does not bluff and is prepared to take decisive action if Iran refuses to accept the reality of its situation,” she said.
In response, Iran maintained that any resolution would occur strictly on its own terms. Tehran stated it would end hostilities only when its conditions are met and affirmed that it would continue defending itself and delivering strong retaliation until its demands are fulfilled.