US President Donald Trump has said the US-Israeli war against Iran is “effectively” over after meeting mediators from Qatar. In a surprise briefing on Monday, he repeated his claim that the United States had destroyed Iran’s military. His remarks also suggested he faced pressure from Middle Eastern allies to bring hostilities to an end.
Trump said Iran was militarily finished and that Washington would keep the current situation in place largely at the request of neighbouring countries. He said he was acting “at the behest of countries that are their neighbours.”
What the status quo would involve
Trump clarified that the status quo would include the continued US naval blockade of Iranian ports. It would also cover the newly announced Task Force Iron Gate, which seeks to cut off trade by land.
Also read: Iran sends nuclear proposal to US via Qatar, official says
He said Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and others would prefer the arrangement to remain unchanged. He described it as a continuation of what he called the greatest naval blockade in the country’s history, and possibly in the world’s.
Qatari prime minister welcomes positive discussions
Trump’s comments came shortly after he and Vice President JD Vance hosted Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani at the White House to discuss the Iran war. The prime minister posted on social media that he was “grateful for the positive discussions on reaching a deal and bringing peace to the region.”
This is a breaking news story, and further details are expected.
