US President Donald Trump has indicated that Washington may not need to launch further airstrikes against Iran, saying the country’s military capabilities have been largely neutralised. However, he warned that American forces remain ready to resume military action if necessary.
“Iran, militarily, is effectively over,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday. He said the US was maintaining the current situation largely at the request of countries in the region.
The remarks came after Trump met Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, whose country has been mediating between Washington and Tehran. Al Thani later said he was grateful for discussions on reaching an agreement and bringing peace to the region.
Trump’s comments suggested renewed momentum in efforts to end the conflict, although Secretary of State Marco Rubio had said a day earlier that negotiations had made little progress. Rubio described Iran’s demands as unacceptable and said the two sides were not close to a breakthrough.
Military pressure remains
Trump did not rule out further strikes, saying US forces remained “locked and loaded” in case another military campaign became necessary. He also said the current approach reflected concerns among regional allies, including the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, which have faced Iranian attacks and economic disruption.
The conflict began in February, when the US joined Israel in military action against Iran. Trump had initially suggested it would conclude within weeks. However, continued hostilities and rising fuel prices became politically damaging for Republicans ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, in which Democrats won control of both chambers of Congress.
Iran has said the US must end its naval blockade of Iranian ports and lift sanctions before peace talks can resume. Washington, meanwhile, wants Tehran to stop attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, restore energy flows through the strategic waterway and make concessions on its nuclear programme.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Tehran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within two days, subject to US concessions, remained on the table.
The latest diplomatic activity has raised hopes of de-escalation, but key disagreements remain unresolved. The US also carried out another strike on Qeshm Island overnight, according to Iranian state media.
Source: Bloomberg, via Business Standard
