Trump Says U.S.-Iran War Is “Close to Over” as Naval Blockade Takes Effect

TLDR

• Trump told Fox News the U.S.-Iran war is “very close to being over”
• A second round of peace talks is expected to resume in Pakistan within days
• The U.S. military has fully implemented a naval blockade of all Iranian ports
• A two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran runs until April 21
• Brent crude sits at around $95 a barrel, still well above pre-war levels

President Donald Trump says the U.S.-Iran war is nearly finished, even as the U.S. military tightens its grip on Iranian trade routes. Trump made the comments in an interview with Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo, set to air Wednesday morning.

The war began on February 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran. The attack killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and severely damaged Iran’s military and government structures.

Thirteen U.S. service members have been killed in the conflict. Thousands more have died across the wider region.

Trump has repeatedly said U.S. forces have “decimated” Iran’s military capabilities. Iran has largely pushed back on those claims.

A two-week ceasefire deal is currently in place, running until April 21. A first round of peace talks was held in Pakistan last weekend, led by Vice President JD Vance and senior White House officials.

Those talks produced no formal breakthrough. Vance said “a lot of progress” was made but added that Iran now holds the deciding hand.

A second round of talks is expected to restart Thursday. The Associated Press reported that mediators are working through three main sticking points: Iran’s nuclear program, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and war compensation.

U.S. Blockade Now Fully in Place

On Monday, Trump ordered a full naval blockade of all Iranian ports. The U.S. military’s Central Command confirmed on Tuesday the blockade was complete.

The blockade was reportedly designed to put more pressure on Iran ahead of the next round of talks.

However, the Wall Street Journal reported that over 20 commercial vessels have recently passed through the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting some movement through the waterway may be resuming.

Oil Prices Remain Elevated

Oil markets have been watching the conflict closely. Brent crude futures were trading at $95.10 a barrel on Wednesday morning, up 0.3% on the day. U.S. West Texas Intermediate was at $91.12, down slightly.

Both figures remain well above prices seen before the war started.

On a separate but related front, Israel and Lebanon held their first direct talks in decades this week in Washington. Israel has continued strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, which could still threaten the broader ceasefire.

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