Trump Declares U.S.-Iran Conflict Nearly Resolved Amid Active Naval Blockade

Table of Contents President Donald Trump has indicated that hostilities between the United States and Iran are approaching their conclusion, despite ongoing U.S. military enforcement of strict maritime trade restrictions. The President shared these remarks during a Fox Business interview with anchor Maria Bartiromo, scheduled for broadcast Wednesday morning. “I think it’s close to over, yeah. I view it as very close to being over,” Trump stated. Hostilities commenced on February 28 following joint U.S.-Israeli military operations targeting Iran. The assault resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and inflicted substantial damage to Iranian military infrastructure and governmental facilities. NEW: President Trump says the war with Iran is "close to over." Full interview airs on @MorningsMaria on Fox Business at 6 a.m. pic.twitter.com/7YqjbHW3Fy — Fox News (@FoxNews) April 15, 2026 The conflict has claimed the lives of thirteen American military personnel. Regional casualties number in the thousands. The President has consistently maintained that American forces have “decimated” Iranian military strength. Iranian officials have largely disputed these assertions. A fourteen-day ceasefire agreement is presently active, extending through April 21. Initial peace negotiations took place in Pakistan over the previous weekend, with Vice President JD Vance leading the American delegation alongside senior administration representatives. The initial talks yielded no concrete agreement. Vance characterized the discussions as producing “a lot of progress” while noting that Iran now holds significant leverage in determining the outcome. “The ball is very much in their court,” Vance remarked. Negotiations are expected to reconvene Thursday. According to Associated Press reporting, mediators are attempting to resolve three primary issues: Iran’s nuclear development programs, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and financial reparations for war damages. President Trump authorized a comprehensive naval blockade of Iranian maritime facilities on Monday. U.S. Central Command verified Tuesday that the blockade had been fully implemented. “U.S. forces have completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea,” Central Command announced. Military analysts suggest the blockade represents an effort to increase leverage on Iran before the upcoming negotiation session. Nevertheless, Wall Street Journal reports indicate that more than twenty commercial ships have recently transited the Strait of Hormuz, indicating potential resumption of limited maritime traffic through the strategic waterway. Oil markets continue monitoring the situation intensively. Brent crude futures were valued at $95.10 per barrel Wednesday morning, representing a 0.3% daily increase. U.S. West Texas Intermediate traded at $91.12, showing a slight decline. Both benchmarks remain substantially higher than pre-conflict pricing. Trump also suggested that U.S. military operations have not entirely concluded. “If I pulled up stakes right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild that country. And we’re not finished,” he stated. He further claimed that Iran “wants to make a deal very badly.” In a related diplomatic development, Israel and Lebanon conducted their first direct negotiations in decades this week in Washington. Israeli military operations against Hezbollah positions in Lebanon have continued, potentially complicating the broader regional ceasefire framework. Discover top-performing stocks in AI, Crypto, and Technology with expert analysis.