President Trump Signals Potential End to Iran Conflict Amid Diplomatic Momentum
U.S. President Donald Trump indicated on Monday that the nine-month conflict with Iran may conclude "fairly soon," noting that Tehran has begun communicating more diplomatically with Washington. Following a meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Trump suggested momentum is building toward an end to the hostilities, citing Iran's weakened military capacity and economic instability due to inflation. While maintaining that the U.S. remains prepared for military action if necessary, Trump downplayed the likelihood of new strikes. The shift in rhetoric follows recent midterm elections where Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress amid voter frustration over rising living costs linked to the war. In response to potential de-escalation news, global oil prices saw a decline, with WTI and Brent futures dropping as markets reacted to the prospect of reduced geopolitical tension.