Trump: "Iran War Will End Soon"... Iran: "Lift Sanctions, and We'll Reopen Hormuz"

Trump: "We Want Total Victory, Not 93% Victory"
Iran Offers to Reopen the Strait of Hormuz in Exchange for Sanctions Relief

U.S. President Donald Trump said the war with Iran would end soon. Iran also said it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume ceasefire negotiations if the United States accepted its seven demands, including lifting sanctions. Both countries have left open the possibility of ending the war, but their differing demands are expected to make reaching an agreement difficult.

U.S. President Donald Trump. White House

Speaking at a Veterans Day ceremony on Nov. 11 (local time) at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C., President Trump said, "When this conflict ends, and it will end soon, the world will be a much safer and more peaceful place."

He claimed the United States had won militarily, saying, "We started operations against Iran seven months ago, and actual intense fighting lasted only a few weeks." He added, "We want total victory, not 93% victory. It will be total victory."

"It will take 25 years to rebuild what we destroyed," President Trump said. "Hopefully, we won't have to destroy any more parts of that country." His remarks were interpreted as emphasizing U.S. military superiority over Iran while leaving open the possibility of further attacks.

Iran also said it was willing to enter ceasefire negotiations, but made an initial move by the United States a condition. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is leading Iran's negotiating team with the United States, said in an interview with Al Jazeera on Nov. 11, "The United States has yet to provide an official and clear response to our letter," adding, "The ball is now in the United States' court."

He stressed that Iran could reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume negotiations only if the United States fulfilled Iran's seven demands.

Iran had earlier proposed what it called a "Two-day plan" to the United States through mediator Qatar.

The proposal shortens to two days a negotiating framework spanning seven days that Iran presented last September. Under the plan, Iran would restore normal passage through the Strait of Hormuz if the United States first eased sanctions.

Specifically, on the first day, the United States would lift its blockade of Iranian ports, approve a waiver of sanctions on Iranian oil sales, and withdraw new sanctions. If those measures were implemented, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz on the second day and proceed with follow-up negotiations.

Ghalibaf made clear that Iran was also unwilling to compromise with the United States on control of the Strait of Hormuz. He said, "We have reached an agreement with Oman on managing the routes and traffic separation scheme (TSS) in the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz," and argued that the United States had no right to control the strait.

Iran also opposes restoring the Strait of Hormuz's prewar transit arrangements as they were. The question of control over the strait could become another point of contention in future ceasefire negotiations.

Ghalibaf said, "We do not want war," but stressed, "We cannot remain in a state that is neither war nor peace." He added that an agreement was possible if the United States honored existing agreements and stopped actions that undermined trust.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.