WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday that the conflict between the United States and Iran was effectively over, announcing that he had called off additional American military strikes and marking a sharp pivot from confrontation toward negotiations.
Speaking during a tele-rally for Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who is running for governor, Trump argued that the two countries had reached a stage where diplomacy could take the place of further military action.
“I don’t know if you heard, but we ended the war with Iran today,” Trump said.
The president said any agreement would hinge on a central commitment from Tehran: that Iran would not pursue a nuclear weapon. He described that issue as the overwhelming core of the U.S. objective, accounting for “95 percent” of the purpose behind the military campaign.
“They have agreed never to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.
Even as he made the announcement, Trump acknowledged the situation was not fully settled. He said the U.S. naval blockade affecting the Strait of Hormuz would stay in place until a formal agreement had been completed.
Negotiators Push Toward a Final Deal
Trump said representatives would gather in Switzerland to finalize the proposed arrangement, and reports suggested a formal agreement could be signed within days.
The announcement followed a stretch of intense military escalation between Washington and Tehran. Trump said he had discussed the emerging framework with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and with leaders of several other countries in the region.
Netanyahu’s office later confirmed the conversation, saying Israel welcomed Trump’s commitment to ensuring that any final deal would impose substantial limits on Iran’s nuclear program and address other activities regarded as destabilizing.
Israel, however, was not described as a direct party to the negotiations.
In a social media statement, Trump said discussions had reached Iran’s highest levels of leadership and that the progress had led him to cancel strikes that were scheduled to proceed.
Strait of Hormuz Remains a Flashpoint
The Strait of Hormuz is among the most strategically vital waterways in the global energy system. A large share of the world’s seaborne oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the narrow passage, so any disruption there is a major concern for international markets.
Investors responded favorably to the prospect of lower tensions. European stocks rose as traders weighed the chance that a diplomatic deal could reduce the risk of prolonged interruptions to global energy supplies.
Oil prices also fell, as expectations grew that easing hostilities could lessen the likelihood of further disruptions to shipments through the region.
Military Pressure Preceded the Diplomatic Shift
Trump’s announcement came after several days of escalating military activity.
Earlier, the president had warned that Iran would face severe consequences if negotiations collapsed. In a social media post, he described Iran’s military capabilities as badly damaged and cautioned Iranian leaders that they would pay a price for delaying talks.
U.S. Central Command also announced that American forces had carried out additional self-defense strikes against targets inside Iran, acting at the president’s direction.
The latest turn therefore marks a significant change in tone, moving from military pressure and threats of further attacks to negotiations aimed at a longer-term arrangement.
A Fragile Path Ahead
Despite Trump’s declaration that the war is over, no final agreement has been formally signed. Key questions remain unanswered, including the precise terms of any deal, how it would be enforced, the specifics of Iran’s nuclear commitments and the future of the Strait of Hormuz blockade.
The coming days could prove decisive.
If negotiators finalize an agreement, it could mark a major diplomatic breakthrough with consequences for energy markets, regional security and relations between Washington and Tehran.
If talks fail, however, the threat of renewed confrontation could return quickly.
For now, Trump is framing diplomacy as the next phase of the conflict, while governments and markets around the world watch to see whether the proposed agreement can turn a fragile pause in hostilities into a lasting settlement.
