What happened
President Donald Trump said renewed US attacks on Iran are highly unlikely, while the United States maintains the status quo and remains locked and loaded should circumstances change. He made the remarks after meeting Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani in the Oval Office.
Trump described Iran as militarily effectively over and said there is positive momentum behind negotiations to end the Middle East conflict. He added that the US is keeping the status quo at the behest of neighbouring countries.
Qatar, a US ally in the Gulf and one of Iran's neighbours, has served as a key mediator in efforts to end the war. The Qatari leader later described positive discussions with Trump and Vice-President JD Vance about reaching a deal and bringing peace to the region.
Trump said he does not currently see any reason to escalate the conflict, though he declined to officially declare an end to the war because some Gulf allies could still face Iranian aggression. He suggested the US naval blockade on Iranian ports is helping make the region more secure.
Global oil prices fell after the comments. Brent crude was more than 1% lower at $91.50, while US-traded oil was down 1.2% at $85.82.
The remarks follow Republican losses in last week's midterm elections, which senior figures including Vice-President Vance blamed on the Iran war. Earlier, Trump said US forces had conducted minor strikes on an Iranian island in the Strait of Hormuz.
Republican congressman Thomas Massie has requested a House vote to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth over the war. Trump has backed Hegseth and called the effort a sham.
