US President Donald Trump is considering whether to declare the conflict with Iran effectively over even if Tehran and Washington fail to reach a formal nuclear agreement, according to US officials cited by the Wall Street Journal.
The approach would allow Trump to argue that the United States has achieved its main objectives without requiring Iran to sign a new nuclear accord.
Officials said the president has privately discussed the possibility with senior advisers as negotiations over the future of the conflict remain uncertain.
Strait of Hormuz Could Determine What Happens Next
A key factor in Trump’s calculations is the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy routes.
According to the officials, Trump could be prepared to extend the current ceasefire indefinitely if Iran’s nuclear capabilities remain contained and commercial traffic through the strategic waterway returns to normal.
The White House has indicated that restoring the flow of energy through the strait is now a central priority.
Officials also expect the US Navy could lift its blockade of Iranian ports if Tehran fully reopens the waterway.
Trump Believes Iran’s Nuclear Program Has Been Crippled
Trump has reportedly told senior aides that Iran may not be capable of quickly rebuilding its nuclear program following the damage inflicted during Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025.
The president has expressed confidence that US intelligence agencies would detect any significant attempt by Tehran to reconstruct damaged nuclear facilities or secretly develop a nuclear weapon.
Trump also reportedly believes the possibility of renewed US military action would remain a powerful deterrent against Iran attempting to restore its nuclear capabilities.
That assessment could give the administration room to pursue an end to the conflict without securing the comprehensive nuclear agreement that Washington had previously sought.
Washington Says Its Military Goals Have Been Achieved
A White House official told the Wall Street Journal that the United States had completed all of its military objectives against Iran.
The official said Trump’s attention has now shifted toward protecting international energy supplies and ensuring that commercial shipping can safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
Washington has nevertheless kept the possibility of further military action open, particularly if Iran attacks vessels operating in or around the strategic waterway.
Trump has also signaled that he is not rushing the diplomatic process.
Officials said the president is prepared to wait out the latest tensions, particularly while fuel prices remain relatively stable.
Iran Sets Tough Conditions for Reopening the Strait
Tehran, however, has shown little indication that it is prepared to simply reopen the waterway on US terms.
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr said Friday that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until Washington changes its conduct toward Iran.
He outlined six demands that Iran considers necessary before the situation can change.
Among them are an end to what Tehran describes as US aggression against Iran and its regional allies, an end to verbal threats, the removal of the US naval blockade and American military forces, compensation for wartime damage, the lifting of sanctions and the release of frozen Iranian assets.
The demands represent a significant gap between the two sides and could complicate Trump’s hopes of finding a diplomatic exit from the conflict.
Experts Warn Trump May Be Struggling to Find an Exit
Analysts say both Washington and Tehran appear to believe they have leverage, making an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz particularly difficult.
Mona Yacoubian, director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Iran’s tough position could make it increasingly difficult for Trump to create what she described as a face-saving way out of the conflict.
Iranian officials, meanwhile, appear convinced that Trump is eager to end the confrontation and restore shipping through the strait.
Gregory Brew, an Iran specialist at Eurasia Group, said Tehran’s belief that Washington wants an exit has encouraged the Iranian side to take a harder negotiating stance.
Trump Predicts the War Could End Soon
Despite the diplomatic deadlock, Trump has remained publicly optimistic about the possibility of a rapid resolution.
During an event at the White House on Thursday, he said he believed the conflict could end “pretty soon” and suggested that Iran would not be able to sustain the confrontation indefinitely.
Trump also claimed that the Strait of Hormuz was effectively “sort of open,” pointing to the US naval presence and blockade as evidence that Washington currently holds significant control over the waterway.
However, he acknowledged that the situation remains dangerous because Iran could still launch attacks against ships.
A Ceasefire Without a Nuclear Deal?
The emerging strategy would represent a major shift in how Washington defines success in the conflict.
Rather than insisting on a formal nuclear agreement, Trump could potentially declare victory if Iran remains unable to restore its nuclear infrastructure, the Strait of Hormuz is reopened and the ceasefire holds.
Whether Tehran accepts such an outcome remains unclear.
Iran’s demands for the removal of US forces, sanctions relief and compensation suggest that negotiations over the next phase of the conflict could remain difficult.
For now, Trump appears willing to wait while keeping military options available — leaving the future of the ceasefire, Iran’s nuclear program and one of the world’s most crucial shipping routes hanging in the balance.
