Trump declares Iran war ‘effectively over’ as peace talks gather pace

US President Donald Trump has suggested that the military conflict with Iran is nearing an end, declaring that the war is "militarily effectively over" as Washington and Tehran face growing pressure to reach a diplomatic settlement.

Trump said on Monday that further American strikes against Iran were now unlikely, although he maintained that the United States could resume military action if Tehran threatened its regional allies or the situation changed.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said Washington had chosen to maintain the current military position partly out of consideration for neighbouring countries that fear renewed Iranian attacks.

"We're just keeping it the status quo," Trump said. "And we're doing that really at the behest of countries that are their neighbours."

He stressed that the United States remained committed to protecting its partners in the Middle East, warning that any threat against them could prompt a response from American forces.

"We have some great allies there, and we have to make sure they're not hurt," he said.

The president also defended the continued American naval blockade targeting Iranian ports, arguing that maintaining the restrictions was helping to safeguard security in the region.

His comments followed a meeting at the White House with Qatar's Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, during which the two leaders discussed efforts to bring the conflict to an end.

Trump described their engagement as an "excellent conversation", while the Qatari leader later announced on X that he had held "positive discussions" with the US president and Vice-President JD Vance on "reaching a deal and bringing peace to the region".

The diplomatic engagement comes as Washington and Tehran continue to depend largely on indirect negotiations facilitated by regional mediators. The talks began after the conflict erupted in February following joint military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran.

Despite the diplomatic push, Iranian officials have remained doubtful about Trump's repeated suggestions that a deal to end the fighting is close, raising questions about whether the latest engagements will produce a lasting agreement.

Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are among the Gulf countries that have come under Iranian attacks during the conflict. The threat of further strikes has also disrupted air travel across the region, adding to concerns about the wider impact of the war.

Trump's latest position also comes against a backdrop of mounting political pressure at home, following disappointing midterm election results for Republicans last week.

Several senior figures within the party, including Vance, have pointed to the Iran conflict as one of the factors behind the party's poor electoral performance.

In an interview with CBS's 60 Minutes broadcast on Sunday, Trump indicated that he had no immediate intention of widening the military campaign, saying he currently saw "any reason" to escalate the conflict.

The war has also exposed divisions within the president's administration, with Republican Congressman Thomas Massie pushing for a House of Representatives vote to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth over his management of the military engagement.

Trump has stood by Hegseth despite the growing criticism. The Defence Secretary, in turn, dismissed the impeachment initiative as a "sham" and said he was not concerned about the threat.

The effort is unlikely to succeed under the current political arrangement, with Republicans still controlling Congress. However, Democrats have indicated that they could pursue impeachment proceedings after taking control of both chambers in January.