Washington: US President Donald Trump has said the war with Iran will end “very soon”, predicting a rapid decline in global energy prices once the conflict is over. He also reiterated that Iran would not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, while claiming that US military operations had achieved their primary objective.
Speaking to reporters before leaving Arizona for an election rally in Montana, Trump linked the expected end of the conflict to lower energy costs and an improvement in the US economy. However, he did not provide a specific timeline for ending the war or clarify whether negotiations with Tehran were underway.
“And Iran will end very shortly. It’s gonna be over very shortly, and your energy prices will fall very rapidly, very fast,” Trump said.
Reiterating his position on Iran’s nuclear programme, the US President said Washington had acted to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
“And I had to make an excursion down to Iran to take away the nuclear weapon. And we’ve done that. They won’t have a nuclear weapon,” he said.
Trump repeated his prediction shortly afterwards, saying the war would end very soon.
Trump Claims US Military Operations Weakened Iran
Trump’s latest remarks followed a campaign rally in Bullhead City, Arizona, where he spoke at greater length about the US military campaign against Iran and its implications for international energy markets.
The President claimed that American military operations had significantly weakened Iran’s armed forces, including its naval and air capabilities.
He also suggested that the removal of successive levels of Iranian leadership had made it more difficult for Washington to identify officials with whom it could negotiate.
“I might have gone too far. I don’t know who the hell to deal with,” Trump said while discussing the impact of the military campaign on Iran’s leadership.
Despite predicting an early end to the conflict, Trump did not outline a diplomatic roadmap or explain what steps would be required to bring the fighting to a close.
Trump Says US Has Control of Strait of Hormuz
The US President also claimed that Washington had established control over the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important waterway through which a significant share of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies passes.
Trump said oil shipments through the strait had recovered despite the military confrontation. He attributed the situation to American naval operations and described the US blockade as a “wall of steel”.
“But, you know, we have taken total control of the Hormuz Strait, and we’re taking more gasoline — we’re taking more oil right now out of the Hormuz Strait than we did before this started,” he said.
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Any disruption to shipping through the passage can affect international energy supplies, oil prices and global markets.
Trump argued that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons justified the economic consequences of the military action. However, he did not provide independent evidence in his remarks to substantiate his claims about control of the waterway or the volume of oil moving through it.
Trump Links End of Iran War to Lower Energy Costs
Trump said the conclusion of the conflict would lead to a rapid fall in energy prices, presenting the expected decline as a positive development for the American economy.
His comments come amid concerns about the impact of the conflict on oil supplies, fuel costs and international energy markets. The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical route for global crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, making developments in the region important for energy-importing countries.
The President maintained that US military action had weakened Iran’s ability to pose a nuclear threat, while arguing that the economic effects of the conflict would ease once the fighting ended.
However, he did not specify when energy prices might fall or provide details of the conditions under which the war would conclude.
Trump Defends US Economic Performance Amid Inflation Questions
During his remarks, Trump was also asked about the latest inflation report and whether he had discussed it with Kevin Warsh.
“We’re at 1.7 per cent inflation for the last three months,” he said, describing his administration’s economic performance as strong.
Trump compared oil prices with those recorded during former US President Joe Biden’s administration, arguing that energy remained cheaper despite the confrontation with Iran.
He did not directly answer a question about market expectations of an interest rate increase.
While Trump expressed confidence that the conflict would end shortly and energy prices would decline rapidly, he offered no firm timetable for ending the war, leaving uncertainty over the next steps in the military confrontation and its consequences for global markets.