27 April,2026 11:17 AM IST | Washington | mid-day online correspondent
US President Donald Trump said the Iran war could end soon due to heavy US military pressure and the effective naval blockade. PIC/AFP
US President Donald Trump has indicated that the ongoing conflict with Iran could be nearing a resolution, stating that Tehran is in a severely weakened position due to sustained American military and economic pressure.
Speaking to Fox News, President Trump said, "I think the big advantage is that we've taken out their navy in its entirety... They have no air force left. They have no navy left...They're in bad shape. I mean, they're really in bad shape. And of course, we've done the blockade, and the blockade's been unbelievably effective, and that means they can't get any more money."
He highlighted the damage inflicted on Iranian capabilities and internal divisions within its leadership.
"Their leaders are gone, which is a good thing. They were far more radicalised than the people that we're dealing with now. The people we're dealing with now, some of them are very reasonable people, and others are not. And they're not getting along. You know, there's a lot of in-fighting as you know. But you know, they don't have anti-aircraft equipment, they don't have radar equipment. It's all been blown up. Their factories, their missile-making factories have been damaged about 75 per cent, which isn't 100 per cent, so there's danger there," Trump added.
The US President expressed hope for a pragmatic Iranian response but maintained a firm stance.
"I hope they're going to be smart, and if they're not smart, we're going to win anyway." He reiterated that Iran would not be permitted to develop nuclear weapons, stating, "They cannot have a nuclear weapon. Otherwise, there's no reason to meet." Trump also clarified that Washington would not send delegations abroad for talks, urging Iran to initiate contact directly. "If they wanna talk, they can come to us or they can call us. We are not sending people to travel 18 hours to meet," he said.
In parallel with these developments, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has been engaged in intense shuttle diplomacy. On Monday, he arrived in St Petersburg, Russia, for high-level talks with President Vladimir Putin. The visit follows discussions in Oman and Pakistan as Tehran seeks broader international backing for de-escalation.
Iranian state media IRNA reported that Araghchi's flight carried the callsign "Minab 168" in memory of children killed in a US-Israeli strike on an elementary school in Minab on February 28. Russia's Foreign Ministry and Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the meeting to discuss the regional situation, ceasefire, and conflict developments.
Tehran's Ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, noted strong bilateral ties, stating that Iran and Russia "as neighbours, see eye-to-eye on a number of regional and international issues," with regular high-level communication. He highlighted their joint opposition at the UN Security Council to a US-initiated resolution on the Strait of Hormuz, which he called "unbalanced and irrational."
In Muscat, Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi held extensive talks with Araghchi on the Strait of Hormuz crisis. In a post on X, the Omani minister emphasised, "Good discussion on the Strait of Hormuz with Iran's Foreign Minister Dr. Araghchi. As littoral states, we recognize our shared responsibility to the international community and the urgent humanitarian need to free the seafarers held for far too long."
Amid these efforts, Tehran has submitted a fresh "two-stage plan" to Washington through Pakistani intermediaries, according to US news outlet Axios. The proposal prioritises reopening the Strait of Hormuz, ending the war or extending a ceasefire, and lifting the US naval blockade, with nuclear issues to be addressed only in a later phase.
This comes after the White House cancelled a planned visit by envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad, seen as dissatisfaction with an earlier Iranian offer. Iran's Foreign Minister reportedly informed mediators that there is "no consensus within the Iranian leadership" on US demands for a ten-year halt to uranium enrichment and relocation of its nuclear stockpile.
Meanwhile, in Lebanon, Israeli strikes on Sunday killed 14 people in the south - the deadliest day since the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire took effect over a week ago.
Lebanon's health ministry reported that the casualties included two women and two children, with 37 others wounded. Since the truce began on 17 April, at least 36 people have been killed in Israeli strikes, according to an AFP tally.
The Israeli military announced that one of its soldiers was killed in combat in south Lebanon. Both sides have accused each other of violating the fragile truce, which was extended for three weeks on Thursday. Israeli troops continue operations within a designated "yellow line" buffer zone along the border.
The coming days will be critical as diplomatic channels remain active while military pressures and local conflicts persist across the region.
(With AFP inputs)
