Trump: War with Iran could end soon

(Patria) - US President Donald Trump stated today that a war with Iran could end quickly, urging the world to watch for "incredible two days" as US forces blocking the Strait of Hormuz turn back ships attempting to leave Iranian ports.

While there are prospects for US and Iranian officials to return to Pakistan for further negotiations, Vice President JD Vance, who led the delegation at talks that ended without an agreement on Sunday, expressed optimism about the current situation.

"I think you're going to see incredible two days ahead of us," Trump told an ABC News reporter, according to his post on X.

The US President added that he did not think it would be necessary to extend the two-week ceasefire that expires next week.

"I think it can end very quickly. It will end soon," Trump said in a separate interview recorded on Tuesday for Fox Business Network, broadcast today.

Officials from Pakistan, Iran, and several Gulf countries also said that negotiation teams from the US and Iran might return to Islamabad this week.

Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it is likely a Pakistani delegation will visit Iran today and convey messages from Washington.

The negotiations held last weekend were interrupted without an agreement to end the war that Trump initiated with Israel on February 28, which triggered Iranian attacks on its Gulf neighbors and reignited the parallel conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Trump's optimism boosted global stocks to record levels, and oil prices, which fell yesterday and earlier today, are back around $96 per barrel after the US military stated that its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz had completely halted maritime trade in and out of Iran.

The US military announced that more ships have been turned back to the Gulf due to the blockade, including a Chinese-owned tanker, the Rich Starry, which is under US sanctions and was seen returning through the Strait of Hormuz today.

The Wall Street Journal reported that eight tankers linked to Iran have been intercepted since the blockade began on Monday.

"A US destroyer stopped two oil tankers yesterday that were attempting to leave the Iranian port of Chabahar in the Gulf of Oman," a US official said.

Iran's Fars news agency reported today that a supertanker subject to US sanctions crossed the strait towards the Iranian port of Imam Khomeini, despite the blockade, and it is possible it returned empty.

Iran's joint military command warned that it would act to disrupt trade flows in the Gulf, the Sea of Oman, and the Red Sea – which connects to the Suez Canal – if the US blockade continues.

The semi-official Iranian news agency Mehr stated that Iran would use alternative ports to bypass the blockade, while another Iranian media outlet quoted shipping sources saying that maritime traffic was continuing normally.