US President Donald Trump stated on Monday that Iran is militarily finished and that further American strikes are highly unlikely. Speaking at the White House, Trump highlighted positive momentum in diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing Middle East conflict following a meeting with the Qatari prime minister.
Diplomatic Talks and Regional Security
Trump met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani in the Oval Office to discuss negotiations aimed at ending the war. Writing on X, the Qatari leader described their talks as positive regarding peace efforts in the region. Trump explained that maintaining the current status quo is being done at the request of Iran’s neighboring countries. While ruling out imminent new strikes, the US president emphasized that the military remains prepared if conditions change. When asked why he has not officially declared an end to the conflict, Trump cited the need to protect Gulf allies from potential Iranian aggression, noting that an ongoing US naval blockade on Iranian ports contributes to regional security.
Political Fallout and Market Impact
The remarks follow a challenging set of midterm election results for Republicans, which senior administration figures like Vice-President JD Vance attributed to the conflict. Political pressure is mounting within Washington as Republican congressman Thomas Massie moved to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth over the war. Trump dismissed the impeachment effort as a sham and defended Hegseth, who stated he is unconcerned by the threats. Meanwhile, global oil markets reacted to the de-escalation signals, with Brent crude falling over 1% to $91.50 and US-traded oil dropping 1.2% to $85.82 by Tuesday afternoon in Asia.
