Trump signals progress towards ending Iran war after Qatar PM meeting

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Monday there was "positive momentum" toward ending the war with Iran after meeting Qatar's prime minister at the White House.

"I had an excellent conversation with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani," Trump said on Truth Social, adding that "much was discussed with respect to the Islamic Republic of Iran."

The meeting with the Qatari prime minister – a key mediator in the Iran war – is Trump's first with a foreign leader since his party's massive losses in the midterm elections.

In the weeks leading up to the vote, there was widespread speculation that US strikes against Iran would resume soon after.

However, Trump has talked down resuming the conflict while leaving the door open to further strikes.

In his post on Monday, Trump reiterated that the US was "locked and loaded," but that he believed further strikes were "quite unlikely" given that key US allies in the Gulf "would prefer the status quo."

"We are seeing positive momentum toward an end to this Conflict, and will ensure that America's interests are at all times protected," Trump said.

Trump's comments echoed early statements to CNN over the weekend when he said it was "highly unlikely" fighting would resume.

- 'IMAGINARY TALKS' -

Iranian officials meanwhile expressed defiance at the continued pressure from Washington.

The Islamic republic's top security chief, Mohsen Rezai, wrote on X late Monday that the US "flails like a desperate gambler," telling Washington to "fold your hand. Stop manufacturing fake news about imaginary talks."

Earlier, Teheran's top negotiator Mahammad Bagher Ghalibaf claimed on X that Israel was pushing the US deeper into conflict, adding that "unless Washington drops the 'Israel First' mindset, America and its allies are headed straight for a dark age."

On the ground in Iran, strikes – which have not been publicly acknowledged by the US military – are continuing, according to Iranian authorities.

The island of Qeshm, located in the Strait of Hormuz, was targeted overnight from Sunday to Monday, the provincial deputy governor stated on state television.

Trump has acknowledged that the highly unpopular war with Iran was at least partially responsible for the Republicans' defeat, not least because it has contributed to rising prices in the US economy.--AFP