U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to declare victory in the war with Iran and could end the conflict without securing a new nuclear agreement with Tehran if commercial shipping resumes through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing U.S. officials.
According to the report, Trump has privately indicated to senior aides that he may be willing to walk away from the conflict without a nuclear deal if Iran fully reopens the Strait of Hormuz to commercial traffic.
A White House official told the newspaper that Washington has already achieved its military objectives against Tehran and that its main remaining goal is to ensure the reopening of the crucial waterway.
The development comes after the United States struck Iran’s three main nuclear facilities in June. Trump has reportedly told senior advisers that the damage inflicted on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure would make it difficult for Tehran to rebuild its nuclear program.
Trump has also argued that Iran would be unable to secretly revive its nuclear activities or develop a nuclear weapon without detection by U.S. intelligence agencies. He believes the threat of further U.S. military action has played a key role in preventing Tehran from moving toward nuclear weapons capability.
U.S. officials told The Wall Street Journal that if there is no visible progress in Iran’s nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz is reopened, Trump could maintain the existing ceasefire and lift the U.S. naval blockade imposed on Iran.
The possible shift would mark a significant change from Trump’s earlier position. He had repeatedly insisted that any agreement ending the war must include guarantees preventing Iran from rebuilding or restarting its nuclear program.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy corridors, carrying a significant share of global oil and gas shipments. Its reopening would therefore have major implications for international energy markets and global trade.
For now, however, it remains unclear whether Tehran is prepared to fully reopen the waterway or whether Washington and Iran can maintain the current ceasefire without a formal nuclear agreement.
