Trump says war ‘can’t go much longer’ – what’s the latest on talks?

What the report says

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the war with Iran is nearing an end, telling reporters in the Oval Office that he does not think it can continue much longer and that fuel prices should fall when it is over. Al Jazeera reported that he also said he was involved in negotiations with Tehran, although Iran has denied holding direct talks with Washington and says its discussions are with Oman instead.

The article says the main diplomatic focus is the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane through which a large share of global oil and gas once moved. Iran’s Fars news agency, citing an unnamed lawmaker, reported that a parliamentary committee is reviewing a draft bill that would bar U.S., Israeli and other “hostile” vessels from passing through the strait. At the same time, Iran and Oman said they had agreed on shipping-route coordinates, which could help pave the way for broader talks.

Al Jazeera noted that the strait has remained closed to most traffic amid the conflict, while the United States has restored a naval blockade on Iranian ports. Shipping through the waterway has fallen, and analysts cited by the outlet said the current discussions are really about reopening the route rather than resolving the wider war.

The reporting also places Trump’s comments in a broader pattern of escalation and pullback, with experts quoted by Al Jazeera warning that repeated threats and cancellations may be weakening trust in any future deal.