US-Iran War: Trump Says Deal Not a Priority; NBC Reports US Weighing Renewed Major Strikes on Iran
WASHINGTON/TEHRAN: US President Donald Trump has said progress has been made in talks between his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran, but made clear that reaching a deal is not his priority. Speaking at a campaign rally in San Antonio, he told supporters, “I think this deal is not something I really want to…
WASHINGTON/TEHRAN: US President Donald Trump has said progress has been made in talks between his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Iran, but made clear that reaching a deal is not his priority. Speaking at a campaign rally in San Antonio, he told supporters, “I think this deal is not something I really want to do, but they’re willing to offer us anything to stop the war.” He added, “This war is ending.” He called Iran “a failed state with a little bit of fight left” and insisted Tehran “can never have nuclear weapons.” He also praised Witkoff as “a great negotiator.”
Weighing renewed strikes: NBC News reported that Trump and his national security team have discussed resuming large-scale military operations in Iran in the coming weeks, including possible strikes before next month’s midterm elections. A Defense Department official said the Pentagon’s role is “to prepare and present military options to the president.” A White House official said Iran is “destroyed,” adding that the US will now go one of two ways: “the easy way or the hard way.”
Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz: Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen to its lowest level in more than two months, with only seven vessels passing on Tuesday. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed “full control” of the waterway. Before the war, around 125 ships transited daily; the figure is now about 10. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio disputed this, saying Iran has “lost full control of Hormuz” and that oil shipments are close to pre-war levels. This week, a tanker off the coast of Qatar was hit by “multiple projectiles,” the 12th such incident in a single week.
Contradictory statements: On Tuesday, Trump said the US must choose between “a good way or an unpleasant way” to end the conflict; on Wednesday, he declared the war had already been “won.” He repeated claims that Iran could strike US cities such as Los Angeles or San Diego with nuclear weapons. In 2025, US intelligence assessed that Iran was not building a nuclear weapon and lacked missiles capable of reaching US soil.
