The US President suggested military action is unlikely if negotiations progress, despite maintaining a naval blockade and new task force.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the war with Iran is "effectively over" militarily following a meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani in Washington, DC. Trump stated that the US is maintaining the status quo at the behest of neighbouring countries, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which prefer a peaceful solution.
According to reports from Hindustan Times, Al Jazeera, and The Hindu, Trump indicated that further military strikes are unlikely if a strong agreement is reached. However, he noted that the US remains "locked and loaded" and has identified additional infrastructure targets, such as 38 bridges, should operations resume.
The US has launched Task Force Iron Gate to restrict the movement of weapons technology and sanctioned goods across Iran's land borders and the Caspian Sea. This initiative expands the existing naval blockade of Iranian ports.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who arrived in France for a G7 foreign ministers' meeting, said negotiations are not close to a breakthrough. Speaking in Florida, Rubio described Tehran's demands as "outrageous and ridiculous" and "not realistic."
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Tehran is willing to engage in diplomatic talks on a fair footing without coercion. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei defended Iran's proposal to end the war, which involves lifting the US blockade and some sanctions in exchange for Tehran stopping its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
