Trump Says U.S. Is in Direct Contact With Iran and Hopes Seven-Month War Is Nearing an End

President Donald Trump says Tehran has contacted Washington directly and wants a deal, raising hopes of renewed diplomacy even as fighting involving Iran, the Houthis and Saudi Arabia continues to threaten regional energy supplies.

 

 

 

President Donald Trump says the United States may be approaching the end of its war with Iran, while revealing that Washington has recently received communications from Tehran without relying solely on intermediaries.

Speaking to reporters after arriving in North Carolina on Wednesday, Trump said he was “hopefully” nearing the end of the conflict and claimed Iranian officials were interested in reaching an agreement.

Asked specifically whether he had heard from Iran directly or through intermediary countries, Trump answered that the communication had been direct, but he offered no details about participants or discussions.

Iran has not publicly confirmed that direct negotiations with Washington have resumed, making Trump’s description significant but still unverified from Tehran’s side as diplomatic efforts continue behind the scenes.

A senior Iranian official, Mohsen Rezaei, recently said there would be no negotiations until Iran’s conditions were satisfied, accusing Trump of sending contradictory signals about Washington’s intentions toward Tehran.

The United States and Iran previously relied heavily on intermediaries including Oman, Qatar and Pakistan, making any confirmed direct communication between the two governments a potentially important change in diplomatic channels.

Trump’s latest comments come as the conflict approaches seven months. The United States and Israel launched major attacks against Iran on February 28, followed by Iranian strikes against Israel and regional U.S. facilities.

Washington and Tehran reached a memorandum of understanding in June addressing commercial passage from the Persian Gulf, but the agreement failed to produce a lasting settlement to the wider conflict.

The Strait of Hormuz remains central to the dispute because it is one of the world’s most important energy corridors, connecting Persian Gulf oil and gas producers with international markets.

U.S. forces have increased their presence around the strait, while the Trump administration says American operations have reopened significant portions of commercial shipping routes and sharply restricted Iranian petroleum exports.

However, an Associated Press assessment published last week concluded that the war remained far from resolved, despite U.S. progress in the strait and significant damage inflicted on Iran’s economy.

The conflict has also expanded into Yemen, where Iran-backed Houthi forces have renewed major military operations and advanced along strategically important areas near the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The Houthis have intensified attacks involving Saudi Arabia, including strikes on oil infrastructure, raising concerns that instability around a second major maritime chokepoint could further disrupt global energy supplies.

Trump said earlier that Houthi representatives had contacted the United States and indicated they did not want direct military confrontation with Washington, though fighting between Houthi and Saudi-aligned forces has continued.

Saudi Arabia has sought stronger American support against Houthi advances. Washington has provided intelligence and targeting assistance while, according to recent reporting, stopping short of directly entering the latest Saudi-Houthi fighting.

The deteriorating security situation prompted the State Department this week to maintain heightened travel warnings for Saudi Arabia, citing armed conflict and risks from Iranian missile and drone attacks.

Energy prices remain one of the conflict’s most visible international consequences. Disruptions involving Hormuz, Saudi infrastructure and Red Sea routes have pushed oil prices higher and increased transportation and inflation concerns.

The war is also facing growing scrutiny in Washington. On September 15, the House voted 220–204 for a resolution seeking to end unauthorized U.S. hostilities against Iran, with seven Republicans joining Democrats.

Trump’s prediction that the conflict may be ending therefore represents a notable shift in tone, but it is not yet a ceasefire announcement, peace agreement or independently confirmed diplomatic breakthrough.

For now, Washington and Tehran appear to be signaling possible diplomatic movement while military operations, Houthi advances, Saudi security concerns and threats to global shipping leave the broader Middle East conflict unresolved.