Trump Signals Iran War ‘Close to Over’ as Maritime Tensions Persist
President Trump hails diplomatic progress in Pakistan while Tehran warns the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open under a U.S. blockade.
President Donald Trump announced today that the conflict with Iran is "close to over," praising diplomatic mediation led by Pakistan and Gulf allies. Following high-level talks in Islamabad involving Vice President JD Vance, Trump indicated there are no remaining "sticking points" and expressed readiness to travel to Pakistan to finalize a formal peace agreement. Despite this optimism, the President emphasized that the U.S. naval blockade will remain in place until a full deal is signed, characterizing the current diplomatic standing as "brilliant."
In response to the continued U.S. military presence, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that the Strait of Hormuz would "not remain open" if the blockade persists. This friction comes as a fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire is set to expire this Wednesday. While a cruise ship made a landmark transit through the Strait for the first time since the war began, shipping giant Maersk continues to assess the high risks of the passage. Central Command reported that 21 vessels have been diverted by U.S. forces since the blockade was implemented.
Parallel to the Iran-U.S. tensions, a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel took effect at midnight. President Trump has prohibited further Israeli strikes and pledged to coordinate with the Lebanese government regarding Hezbollah. However, the truce remains tenuous; four rescuers were killed in an attack in Nabatieh, and Israel conducted strikes in southern Lebanon. Despite the violence, displaced residents have begun returning to their homes in hopes that the cessation of hostilities will hold.
Key Points
- President Trump signaled the war is 'close to over' following Pakistani mediation but refuses to lift the naval blockade until a final deal is signed.
- The IRGC threatened to re-close the Strait of Hormuz if U.S. naval pressure persists, even as the first cruise ship since the conflict began attempted transit.
- A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon took effect at midnight, though sporadic strikes in southern Lebanon were reported shortly after.
- U.S. Central Command confirmed it has turned back 21 ships since the blockade began, maintaining a guided-missile destroyer in the Arabian Sea.
- Four rescuers were killed in a 'quadruple-tap' attack in Nabatieh, Lebanon, just as displaced civilians began returning to the region.