Trump: The war will end 'very soon'... and we are achieving a major victory
- US President: CIA director’s visit to Moscow is not linked to Iran
- Rubio rules out new strikes on Iran at present
- “Revolutionary Guards” speak of an Iranian-Omani agreement regarding the Strait of Hormuz... and a source for “Reuters”: Final touches have not yet been put in place
US President Donald Trump stated that the war between the United States and Iran would end “very soon.” While he ruled out the possibility that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had died, speaking of him suffering serious injuries, Secretary of State Marco Rubio ruled out launching new strikes at present.
Meanwhile, the Revolutionary Guards announced that an agreement had been reached with the Sultanate of Oman to share any revenues collected from the Strait of Hormuz. However, a senior Iranian source told Reuters that final details of the agreement had not yet been finalized, adding that Tehran and Muscat were working on the specifics.
Trump told conservative broadcaster Glenn Beck, “I don’t think he died. He suffered serious injuries. The left side of his body, his arm, his leg, everything. He suffered serious injuries,” referring to the raid that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on February 28.
He added, “If the Iranian Supreme Leader had died, they are putting on a very convincing show, because they are talking about returning to him and speaking with him all the time, to get his final blessing,” in reference to the Iranian negotiators.
The US President expressed his belief that “the war will end soon, because the Strait of Hormuz is open. Many ships are passing through it now, and we are allowing them to pass. We have removed all the mines, and the strait is now operational.”
Trump also touched on the internal situation in Iran, stating, “Many Iranian soldiers are not receiving their salaries, there is inflation of 300 percent, and their currency has become worthless.”
He noted that “it is difficult for Iranians to protest because snipers are on rooftops targeting them.”
The US President considered that the reason for the ongoing confrontation with Iran is that it cannot be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, saying, “The core issue, 99.9 percent of it, is that we cannot allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon; they are crazy.”
In comments to Al Jazeera, the US President stated that the confrontation is not subject to any timeline and will continue regardless of what it takes.
He emphasized that there is no specific timeline regarding the decision to return to the negotiating table, confirming that he is “not in a hurry.”
In a separate development, Trump said that the visit of CIA Director John Ratcliffe to Moscow was “quasi-routine and may yield something.”
For his part, Rubio recently informed several of his counterparts in allied countries that the United States does not expect to launch new strikes on Iran at present, emphasizing that Washington is focusing on other pressure measures, including a naval blockade and new sanctions.
According to Axios, citing US sources, Rubio clarified that Washington does not plan at this stage to return to large-scale combat operations, but he did not rule out strikes if Iran launches an attack first.
Another US official said that this policy is expected to remain in place, at least until after the midterm elections.
In Tehran, the Guards announced that Iran and the Sultanate of Oman had reached an agreement regarding their shares in the Strait of Hormuz and its revenues, but the vital waterway would not be reopened unless Washington accepts Iran’s conditions.
Spokesman Hossein Makki said in statements published by state media, “The Strait of Hormuz belongs to Iran and Oman... We have been negotiating with Oman for about a month and have reached results acceptable to both sides.”
Mohabi continued, “If the United States ceases its obstruction and returns to the agreement, we can open the Strait of Hormuz within the framework of the agreement reached... But if the United States does not accept our conditions, the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened under any circumstances.”
Araghchi stated that the proposed framework represents a “clear model” of “Iran’s commitment to peace and stability, accompanied by firm and continuous diplomacy with neighboring countries.”
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said, “Given the measures taken by the government, the United States will not achieve anything through economic pressure at this stage, just as it failed to achieve anything during the war.”
On Monday evening, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced plans to “suffocate Iran economically,” warning of severe consequences for countries that do not join the pressure campaign.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received two separate phone calls from Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, discussing efforts to de-escalate regional tensions, within the context of ongoing coordination and unified initiatives aimed at enhancing the region’s security and stability.
