Trump Says Positive Momentum Is Building Toward Ending Conflict With Iran

After meeting Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani at the White House on November 9, U.S. President Donald Trump said there was “positive momentum” toward ending the conflict with Iran. In a social media post, he said they had discussed many issues concerning Iran. Qatar is one of the key mediators in the Middle East conflict.

Trump said further attacks were “quite unlikely” because key U.S. allies in the Gulf wanted to maintain the status quo. He said Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait and other countries supported maintaining the current U.S. naval blockade of Iran and backed a newly launched operation aimed at restricting Iran’s overland supply routes. These were Trump’s statements.

The site of an attack in Minab, Hormozgan province, Iran, on February 28, 2025.（VietVance）

Trump also said all parties agreed that Iran could not possess nuclear weapons, calling that point “nonnegotiable.” Iran has repeatedly said its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes. The two sides remain divided on this issue.

The same day, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said transferring enriched uranium out of Iran was not on the negotiating agenda. He said Iran had shortened the deadline for implementing a proposal from seven days to two days to demonstrate goodwill. Iran still prioritized diplomacy, he said, but would not trade away its national interests and security. He said U.S. officials had made contradictory demands and repeatedly changed the terms of the negotiations.

Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran was working to restore maritime security on its own terms. He said U.S. implementation of the provisions of a June memorandum would pave the way for the next round of negotiations.

Source: VietVance