US President Says War with Iran 'Cannot Last Much Longer'

US President Donald Trump told reporters on Thursday (August 7) that he believes the war with Iran is nearing its end, promising that gasoline prices will drop once the conflict concludes.

Meanwhile, Iran's Fars news agency quoted an unnamed lawmaker as saying a parliamentary committee is reviewing a preliminary bill to ban US, Israeli, and other "hostile" ships from passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump's Statement

Speaking in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said of the war with Iran: "I think it will end soon. I don't think they can last much longer." He also said he is engaged in negotiations with Tehran, adding, "I think we're doing well."

Iran, however, has denied holding direct talks with the US, insisting it has only exchanged messages with Oman regarding control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Over the weekend, Trump canceled plans for a large-scale military strike on Iran, stating that Tehran and other regional countries had asked Washington to hold off on airstrikes because a diplomatic breakthrough was near.

He also reacted sharply to US media reports suggesting the US might be running low on weapons in the region.

Possibility of an 'Early' End to the War

Trump has for months insisted that Iran has been defeated and the conflict is nearing its end, while Iranian officials stress they are ready for a prolonged war.

Throughout the conflict, Trump has repeatedly threatened a major strike on Iran, then withdrawn the threat and said a deal is imminent. On April 7, he warned that "an entire civilization would die tonight" if Iran did not open the Strait of Hormuz, but later backed down and announced a two-week ceasefire.

Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, said Trump's pattern of escalation followed by cancellation has damaged prospects for a negotiated solution. "At some point, all credibility for negotiations will disappear," he said.

Experts argue that even if the issue of managing the Strait of Hormuz is resolved, the US-Iran war cannot truly end, as broader peace talks would need to restart.

Alan Eyre, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington, noted that the only significant talks currently are between Iran and Oman over the strait. Iran has decided not to negotiate directly with the US because it "cannot trust anything the US says."

Iran's Reaction

Iran's parliament speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, accused Trump of pursuing "theater diplomacy" in a post on X on Thursday.

"'A major attack is coming... wait, no, they want to negotiate.' That is repeated theater diplomacy," Ghalibaf wrote, urging the US to "acknowledge the truth" and honor its commitments.

Hormuz Talks Developments

Shipping data shows that the number of vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz—closed by Iran since early March after US-Israeli strikes on Tehran—has dropped to 33 in the week from Monday to Thursday, down from 50 the previous week, according to Reuters.

A memorandum of understanding signed on June 17 between Iran and the US commits Iran to reopen the strait for free navigation for at least 60 days. However, the agreement's vague wording led to disagreements, mainly over which shipping lanes vessels should use. The dispute escalated when Iran fired on several ships following the US/Oman-approved route, prompting the US to resume strikes.

Since the strikes ended last week, Iran has been negotiating with Oman to reopen the strait. On Thursday, the two countries agreed on coordinates for shipping lanes through the strategic waterway. Iran said the deal is "on the verge of completion." Meanwhile, the strait remains closed to most shipping, and the US maintains a naval blockade of Iranian ports.

Iran wants to retain control over vessels passing through its territorial waters in the strait and to have the right to collect fees in the future. The US insists Iran should not control the strait and must not charge any fees.

Analysts suggest the US will have to concede on its refusal to grant Iran any control, given the pressure on the Trump administration to reopen the strait to commercial traffic.

David Des Roches, former director for Arabian Peninsula affairs at the US Department of Defense, said any final agreement is unlikely to exclude Iran from managing a waterway along its coast. "I think the preliminary outlines of a deal are that Iran will deny the right of free international passage in areas within its territorial waters," he said.