WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said the United States and Iran could reach an agreement within the next week to extend the current ceasefire and reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, offering a cautiously optimistic assessment despite renewed uncertainty surrounding negotiations.
In a telephone interview with ABC News chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl, Trump said discussions remained on track, describing the situation as “looking good” while acknowledging that negotiators had encountered a temporary setback earlier in the day.
“There was a little glitch today, but I turned that one around very quickly,” Trump said.
According to the president, tensions increased after Iran reacted to Israeli military actions involving Lebanon. Trump said he intervened with both sides and urged them to halt further fighting.
Trump characterized diplomacy as potentially more valuable than continued military confrontation, arguing that a negotiated settlement with Tehran could ultimately produce a more significant outcome than a battlefield victory.
“A peace agreement with Iran could be even better than a military victory,” he said.
The president also acknowledged the considerable difficulties involved in reaching a comprehensive agreement after decades of hostility between Washington and Tehran. He described Iran as a large and influential country and said neither side would find the negotiations simple.
“It’s not an easy thing for them,” Trump said. “It’s actually not easy from our standpoint either. But we’re getting what we need to get.”
Trump said he believed a memorandum of understanding concerning the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz could potentially be completed within the coming week, although he emphasized that several outstanding issues still needed to be resolved.
“I still have to get a few more points,” he said.
The comments followed a period of confusion Monday after Iran indicated that communications with Washington had been halted, citing Israeli military actions in Lebanon. The development raised concerns that negotiations could be deteriorating.
Trump later rejected the suggestion that the diplomatic effort had collapsed. In a social media statement, he said negotiations with Iran were continuing at a “rapid pace,” although Iranian officials had not publicly confirmed that talks had resumed.
The president also claimed he had personally intervened to prevent further escalation between Israel and Hezbollah. Trump said he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and secured assurances that Israeli forces would not advance into Beirut.
He further claimed that Hezbollah had agreed, through intermediaries, to halt attacks on Israel in exchange for an end to Israeli strikes against the group.
The developments come as negotiators attempt to turn the existing ceasefire into a broader and more durable agreement. Whether those efforts succeed remains uncertain, particularly given the longstanding mistrust between the United States and Iran and the continuing volatility across the region.
At the center of the diplomatic effort is the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important maritime passages. The narrow waterway is a critical route for international energy shipments, making any prolonged disruption potentially consequential for global oil markets, commercial shipping and economies far beyond the Middle East.
For Washington and its allies, reopening the waterway would represent an important step toward restoring regional stability. For Iran, any agreement would likely involve difficult negotiations over security, military activity and the broader relationship with the United States.
For now, Trump’s seven-day timeline remains an expectation rather than a finalized agreement. Further negotiations will determine whether the latest diplomatic opening can survive renewed regional tensions and produce a lasting settlement.
