Trump Declares Iran War ‘Close to Over’ as Pakistan Army Chief Arrives in Tehran

Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the conflict with Iran is nearing its conclusion, urging the world to prepare for an “amazing two days.” This statement coincided with the arrival of Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, in Tehran, where he is serving as the primary mediator to avert further hostilities.

The diplomatic initiative follows recent discussions between U.S. and Iranian officials, who are considering a return to Pakistan for additional negotiations after last weekend’s talks ended without a resolution.

Pakistan’s military confirmed Munir’s arrival in Tehran. A senior Iranian source indicated that Munir, who facilitated the previous round of discussions, aims to “narrow gaps” between the two conflicting parties.

Amazing Two Days Ahead: Trump

Trump expressed optimism about the situation, stating that the upcoming days would be significant. He mentioned that he does not foresee the need to extend a two-week ceasefire that is set to expire next week. In an interview, Trump remarked, “I think it’s close to over, yeah. I mean I view it as very close to over. We’ll see what happens. I think they want to make a deal very badly.”

Talks to Resume?

Officials from Pakistan, Iran, and Gulf states have indicated that both sides may return to Islamabad in the coming days. The previous weekend’s talks failed to produce an agreement to end the war, which began on February 28, leading to Iranian assaults on Gulf neighbors and escalating tensions between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Trump’s positive outlook has contributed to a rise in global stock markets, with oil prices slightly increasing to around $95 per barrel after a decline earlier in the week. This uptick follows the U.S. announcement that its blockade of Iranian ports has disrupted maritime trade.

Tankers Intercepted

The U.S. military reported that it is intercepting more vessels, including the U.S.-sanctioned, Chinese-owned tanker Rich Starry, which was observed returning through the Strait of Hormuz. A U.S. destroyer also halted two oil tankers attempting to depart from the Iranian port of Chabahar.

Despite the blockade, an Iranian supertanker under U.S. sanctions successfully navigated towards Iran’s Imam Khomeini port, according to Iran’s Fars News agency, which did not disclose the tanker’s identity or further details of its journey.

While both Iran and the United States have managed to avoid a significant maritime confrontation since the blockade began, Tehran has warned of retaliation against military actions.

Iran Warning

Iran’s joint military command issued a warning that it would cease trade flows in the Gulf, the Sea of Oman, and the Red Sea—areas connected to the Suez Canal—if the U.S. blockade persists. Trump has threatened to escalate military actions if the conflict resumes, stating, “We could take out every one of their bridges in one hour. We could take out every one of their power plants, electric power plants, in one hour. We don’t want to do that…so we’ll see what happens.”

Return to Islamabad

Trump indicated that U.S. negotiators are likely to return to Pakistan, crediting the army chief Munir for effectively moderating the discussions. At a later event in Georgia, Vice President JD Vance, who led the U.S. delegation during the last talks, noted that Trump aims to establish a “grand bargain” with Iran, although significant mistrust remains between the two nations.

Iran’s nuclear ambitions emerged as a critical issue during the recent discussions. The U.S. proposed a 20-year suspension of all Iranian nuclear activities, a shift from its previous demand for a permanent ban. In contrast, Iran suggested a halt of 3 to 5 years, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.

Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, stated that the duration of any moratorium on Iranian uranium enrichment is a political decision and hinted that Iran might be open to a compromise as a confidence-building measure. Washington has also insisted on the removal of any enriched nuclear material from Iran, while Tehran demands the lifting of international sanctions.

Back-Channel Talks

Sources involved in the negotiations reported that back-channel discussions have made headway in bridging differences, potentially paving the way for a new agreement in upcoming talks. Complicating these peace efforts, Israel has continued its military operations in Lebanon targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah. Both Israel and the U.S. maintain that these actions fall outside the scope of the ceasefire, while Iran contends that they do.

Israel’s security cabinet is scheduled to meet late on Wednesday to deliberate on a potential ceasefire in Lebanon, following rare discussions between Israeli and Lebanese officials in Washington the previous day.

As reported by www.emirates247.com.

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Published on 2026-04-15 22:29:00 • By FAME Delivered News Desk