‘Very Close to Over’: Trump Says Iran Eager to Strike Deal

US President Donald Trump has said the conflict with Iran is "very close to over", arguing that United States military action has weakened Tehran and claiming that Iranian leaders are now eager to negotiate a settlement to end the Iran war.

Speaking on Fox News, Trump defended decisions taken during the confrontation, insisting that the United States move prevented Iran from developing nuclear weapons and changed the balance of power in the Iran war in Washington's favour.

Iran war negotiations, nuclear deal demands and enrichment dispute

At the centre of United States diplomacy on the Iran war is the dispute over Tehran's nuclear activities, with Trump maintaining that any arrangement must ensure Iran never becomes nuclear-armed, an accusation Tehran has repeatedly rejected while insisting its programme is peaceful.

Media reports cited by AFP say United States negotiators have pushed for a 20-year halt to Iran's uranium enrichment, while Iran has suggested a five-year suspension, and this wide gap on timelines has blocked agreement in the Iran war talks so far.

Trump’s claims on Iran war, nuclear weapons and future talks

Donald Trump has argued that earlier military decisions were necessary, telling Fox News that without intervention Iran would already have nuclear arms, a claim made as part of broader justification for United States strategy in the Iran war.

"I had to divert, because if I didn't do that, right now you would have Iran with a nuclear weapon, and if they had a nuclear weapon, you would be calling everybody over there 'sir'. And you don't want to do that," Trump said while discussing the Iran war.

Iran war outlook, Trump’s assessment and possible venue for dialogue

When questioned on whether the Iran war has effectively ended, Trump has said hostilities are nearing a close but warned that developments remain fluid and new events could still influence the situation on the ground.

"I think it's close to over, yeah. I mean, I view it as very close to over. You know what? If I pulled up stakes right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild that country. And we're not finished. We'll see what happens. I think they want to make a deal very badly," Trump added regarding the Iran war.

Iran war talks in Pakistan and stalled previous negotiations

According to AFP, Trump has suggested that direct contacts on the Iran war could restart soon, telling The New York Post that a new round of discussions between Washington and Tehran may take place in Pakistan within days.

The idea of Pakistan hosting another meeting comes after previous rounds of United States-Iran talks failed to reach a breakthrough, with disagreements over nuclear enrichment and regional security continuing to block progress in the Iran war negotiations.

Regional impact of Iran war: Israel, Lebanon and Hezbollah

Diplomatic movement on the Iran war has overlapped with separate efforts involving Israel and Lebanon, which have agreed to launch direct negotiations after discussions in Washington mediated by United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The planned Israel-Lebanon talks, rare between countries still technically at war, have faced opposition from Hezbollah, which fired rockets into northern Israel during the Washington meeting and has played a central role in the wider Iran war by attacking Israel in support of Iran.

Naval blockade, Strait of Hormuz and oil markets in Iran war

Even while seeking talks, the United States has tightened pressure on Iran through a naval blockade linked to the Iran war, targeting vessels entering or leaving Iranian ports and applying restrictions to ships of all nations operating near Iran's coastline.

Iran’s military leaders have criticised the blockade as piracy, warning that any threat to its maritime security might disrupt shipping through key passages such as the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global oil, while a fragile truce in the Iran war has steadied markets and nudged Brent prices to $94.79 and West Texas Intermediate to $91.28.

Global reactions to Iran war and call for diplomacy

As these diplomatic and military moves continue, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has repeated that political engagement remains essential for the Iran war, stressing that military action alone cannot resolve the crisis between the United States and Iran.

Antonio Guterres reiterated that diplomacy remains essential, stating there is "no military solution" and urging continued engagement, while other officials such as JD Vance have also noted that "US-Iran Mistrust Can't Be Solved Overnight" ahead of a second round of peace talks linked to the Iran war.

With Trump predicting that the Iran war is nearing its end, Washington and Tehran still differ on nuclear restrictions, regional security and maritime control, while parallel talks involving Israel, Lebanon and wider international actors continue to shape how and when any final settlement might emerge.