Trump willing to end war, declare victory on Iran with no nuclear deal, officials say - report
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump privately floated the idea with senior aides, with Iran's reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping a key condition.
US President Donald Trump is reportedly considering declaring victory in the Iran conflict, even if a nuclear deal is not reached, according to the Wall Street Journal. Sources close to the president suggest that Trump privately discussed this idea with senior aides. If the US is able to keep Iran's nuclear program under control and traffic resumes through the Strait of Hormuz, Trump is more likely to extend the ceasefire indefinitely, according to the officials.
This comes after Operation Midnight Hammer, which caused significant damage to Iran's nuclear infrastructure in June 2025. Trump believes that Iran is unlikely to revive its nuclear work, and his intelligence capabilities would detect any attempts to rebuild the facilities or develop a nuclear bomb. The US expects to lift its naval blockade on Iran's ports if Tehran fully reopens the strait.
Trump is reportedly patient and focused on securing the flow of the world's energy through the Strait of Hormuz. The White House maintains that the US has completed all military objectives against Iran and will keep military options on the table if Iran targets ships again. However, Iran's recent hardline demands for reopening the strait make it challenging for Trump to find a face-saving way out of the conflict.
Experts suggest that Iran believes Trump wants to end the war and is focused on opening the strait, which explains their hardline stance.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
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