Trump Sees Momentum to End War, Keeps U.S. Forces Ready to Act
Key Facts
U.S. President Donald Trump said there was “positive momentum” toward ending the war and that he saw a good chance it would end, in remarks reported by the Associated Press on November 9, 2026. He spoke after a White House meeting with Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Monday, according to the news agency. The open report did not independently confirm a two-week diplomatic deadline or that Qatar had informed G7 foreign ministers of substantial disagreements. Confirmed developments therefore center on Trump’s remarks about the prospects for ending the conflict, alongside continued U.S. military readiness. Trump said U.S. forces were ready to act if circumstances changed, and predicted the conflict would end “relatively soon.”
Trump’s remarks reflect two parallel strands in the U.S. position: talk of a chance to end the war and keeping forces on alert. The Associated Press quoted him describing Iran as “effectively militarily over,” but he also said U.S. forces were ready to act if circumstances changed. The report did not say Trump had ruled out further strikes or confirmed a decision to launch them. His prediction that the conflict would end “relatively soon” included no specific date or details of an imminent agreement. Meanwhile, the news agency reported that the U.S. military continued carrying out limited strikes on Iran during the week before its report was published.
According to the Associated Press, U.S. forces carried out limited strikes on Iran at least twice during the week before its November 9 report, including strikes on air defenses. That means military operations continued during the same period Trump spoke of momentum toward ending the war. The report gave no tally of the strikes or specific details of their impact on the ground. Nor did it link them to any announced progress in negotiations. According to the news agency, the strikes remain part of the current military picture alongside mediation efforts.
On the diplomatic front, regional officials told the Associated Press that Qatari officials presented proposals concerning Iran’s nuclear program the previous week. The move was part of broader mediation efforts: Qatar’s foreign ministry said in a statement dated November 3 that a Qatari delegation had visited Tehran and met with its counterparts for about 3 hours, exchanging proposals under discussion to bring positions closer. The ministry said in the same statement that it was not possible at the time to speak of a specific breakthrough, despite continued contacts and the exchange and review of proposals. This provides context for Qatari mediation ahead of the Qatari prime minister’s meeting with Trump on November 9. None of these statements establishes that Doha had secured a two-week deadline agreed between Washington and Tehran.
Iran’s demands before entering nuclear talks include an end to the U.S. blockade of its ports, the lifting of sanctions and the release of its frozen assets, according to the Associated Press. The news agency also reported that Iran’s demands include compensation for war damage and an end to hostilities in the region, including Israeli operations in Lebanon. As conveyed by the news agency from Tehran, these demands put the blockade, sanctions and assets at the center of the process preceding nuclear talks. They highlight practical issues involving ports and financing, as well as the scope of the regional fighting. The report did not say the parties had agreed on an order for implementing these demands or on a resolution of their differences over them.
On next steps, Trump said the United States had identified infrastructure targets in Iran, including 38 bridges, and would strike them if military action resumed, according to the Associated Press. The report gave no date for a resumption of operations or timeline for any new strikes. The news agency also reported that Trump did not signal a reduction in U.S. forces moved to waters off Iran, which are maintaining a naval blockade to stop Iranian oil from reaching the global market. This comes as U.S. forces remain ready to act if circumstances change, according to his remarks. Trump’s forecast for the end of the war thus remained tied to an unspecified course, while Washington continued to keep its military options open.
The situation is also shaped by domestic political pressure in the United States. The Associated Press said the Republican Party lost both chambers of Congress to Democrats in the week before its report, amid discontent over a war it described as having lasted 8 months and rising fuel prices. The news agency said dissatisfaction with the war and fuel prices hung over the election, without attributing a unified position to voters or identifying a direct effect of the result on negotiations. This context places Trump’s remarks about a chance to end the conflict alongside the continued blockade, limited strikes and military readiness. The report gave no date for a new round of negotiations or expected outcome from Qatari mediation.