WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump declared Thursday that the conflict between the United States and Iran was effectively over after announcing that he had canceled additional U.S. military strikes, signaling a dramatic shift from confrontation toward negotiations.
Speaking during a tele-rally supporting Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in his campaign for governor, Trump said the two countries had reached a point where diplomacy could potentially replace further military action.
“I don’t know if you heard, but we ended the war with Iran today,” Trump said.
The president said a central condition of any agreement would be Iran’s commitment not to develop a nuclear weapon. According to Trump, that issue represented the overwhelming majority of the U.S. objective in the conflict.
“They have agreed never to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said, describing the issue as “95 percent” of the purpose behind the military campaign.
Despite his announcement, Trump indicated that the situation was not yet fully resolved. He said the U.S. naval blockade affecting the Strait of Hormuz would remain in place until a formal agreement was completed.
