US President Donald Trump has indicated that the conflict with Iran could be drawing closer to an end, as diplomatic efforts intensify to find a way out of the prolonged confrontation. However, he has not disclosed a definite timeline or outlined the terms of any potential settlement.
At the centre of Washington’s position remains the demand that Iran must not acquire a nuclear weapon.
The issue has emerged as one of the major obstacles in negotiations, even as Qatar and other intermediaries work to narrow the differences between the two sides.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has been engaging Qatari mediators over Tehran’s proposal for easing the crisis and restoring normal movement through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
The proposal includes measures involving sanctions, frozen Iranian assets and the US naval blockade, with Tehran seeking progress on those issues as part of any arrangement to reopen the waterway.
The diplomatic channel remains active, but significant differences persist. Washington wants any agreement to include commitments on Iran’s nuclear programme, while Tehran has tied the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to the fulfilment of its own conditions.
Recent discussions have focused particularly on the sequence in which the proposed steps would be implemented.
The stakes extend well beyond the two countries. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical route for global energy shipments, and uncertainty over its security has continued to affect oil markets and wider concerns about energy supplies.
As mediators push for a breakthrough, the conflict remains unresolved, with Washington and Tehran still working to bridge substantial gaps over the terms of a possible deal.
