Iran War is ‘very close to over,’ Trump says

President Donald Trump said in a Fox Business interview Wednesday morning that he believes the war in Iran is “very close to over,” though the administration continues to enforce a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and increase economic sanctions on Iran.Recent reporting from the Washington Post indicated thousands more U.S. troops could soon be headed to the Mideast. The Pentagon did not confirm the report in a separate inquiry. But in a statement, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Trump administration had made the U.S. red lines clear.”The Iranians’ desperation for a deal will only increase with President Trump’s highly effective Naval blockade now in effect, which is sending oil tankers towards the big, beautiful Gulf of America,” Leavitt wrote. “The President has wisely kept all options on the table in the event that the Iranians will not forgo their nuclear ambitions and make a deal that is acceptable to the United States.”Currently, the U.S. military is maintaining its naval blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz, while the Trump administration says it will increase sanctions on Iran and secondary sanctions on countries connected to Iranian assets and money. White House officials warned the sanctions would be as serious as the bombing campaign.” a very stern measure, and the Iranians should know that this is going to be the financial equivalent of what we saw in the kinetic activities,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a press briefing on Wednesday afternoon.Despite increasing economic pressure and spiking gas prices, the White House says it remains optimistic on the prospects of a deal. “This is short-term disruption for the long-term strategic goal of the United States to ensure that the world’s leading state sponsor of terror cannot obtain a nuclear weapon,” Leavitt said in Wednesday’s briefing.The U.S. has reportedly discussed a second round of ceasefire negotiations with Iran, though no formal schedule has been set. With the current ceasefire expected to end in less than a week, Leavitt says the U.S. has not formally requested an extension, leaving the negotiations’ main sticking points unresolved, including uranium enrichment, control of the Strait of Hormuz, and compensation to Iran for wartime damages. Meanwhile, an effort to limit the war failed in Congress on Wednesday. For a fourth time this year, the Senate rejected a war powers resolution proposed by Democrats that would require the U.S. forces to withdraw from Iran unless Congress authorizes further action. Democrats have argued the war is unjustified, while most Republicans continue to support the president, though some have suggested Congress may need to take on a larger role if the war in Iran continues.Watch the latest coverage on the war in Iran:

WASHINGTON —

President Donald Trump said in a Fox Business interview Wednesday morning that he believes the war in Iran is “very close to over,” though the administration continues to enforce a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and increase economic sanctions on Iran.

Recent reporting from the Washington Post indicated thousands more U.S. troops could soon be headed to the Mideast. The Pentagon did not confirm the report in a separate inquiry.

But in a statement, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Trump administration had made the U.S. red lines clear.

“The Iranians’ desperation for a deal will only increase with President Trump’s highly effective Naval blockade now in effect, which is sending oil tankers towards the big, beautiful Gulf of America,” Leavitt wrote. “The President has wisely kept all options on the table in the event that the Iranians will not forgo their nuclear ambitions and make a deal that is acceptable to the United States.”

Currently, the U.S. military is maintaining its naval blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz, while the Trump administration says it will increase sanctions on Iran and secondary sanctions on countries connected to Iranian assets and money.

White House officials warned the sanctions would be as serious as the bombing campaign.

“[It’s] a very stern measure, and the Iranians should know that this is going to be the financial equivalent of what we saw in the kinetic activities,”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a press briefing on Wednesday afternoon.

Despite increasing economic pressure and spiking gas prices, the White House says it remains optimistic on the prospects of a deal.

“This is short-term disruption for the long-term strategic goal of the United States to ensure that the world’s leading state sponsor of terror cannot obtain a nuclear weapon,” Leavitt said in Wednesday’s briefing.

The U.S. has reportedly discussed a second round of ceasefire negotiations with Iran, though no formal schedule has been set. With the current ceasefire expected to end in less than a week, Leavitt says the U.S. has not formally requested an extension, leaving the negotiations’ main sticking points unresolved, including uranium enrichment, control of the Strait of Hormuz, and compensation to Iran for wartime damages.

Meanwhile, an effort to limit the war failed in Congress on Wednesday.

For a fourth time this year, the Senate rejected a war powers resolution proposed by Democrats that would require the U.S. forces to withdraw from Iran unless Congress authorizes further action.

Democrats have argued the war is unjustified, while most Republicans continue to support the president, though some have suggested Congress may need to take on a larger role if the war in Iran continues.

Watch the latest coverage on the war in Iran: