Donald Trump announced on Monday that there is “positive momentum” toward resolving the ongoing conflict with Iran and that the Iran war is “militarily effectively over,” , following a meeting at the White House with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. The Qatari leader, a key diplomatic intermediary in the region, discussed potential pathways to de-escalation with the US president.

In a post shared on his Truth Social platform, Trump detailed the stance of several Gulf nations. He wrote that Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, and other regional states have expressed a preference for maintaining the current US naval blockade of Iran. This maritime pressure, they argue, should remain alongside the newly launched operation known as "Operation Iron Gate," which is designed to restrict Iran’s land-based supply routes. According to Trump, these nations “would prefer the status quo.”

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran has dismissed U.S. Iron Gate, as a hollow and ineffective move, branding it "merely wordplay".

The US President further emphasized that there is unanimous agreement among these countries that Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, a condition he described as “non-negotiable.” Trump reiterated the US position that any Iranian nuclear ambitions beyond peaceful purposes are unacceptable. Iran, however, has consistently maintained that its nuclear program is strictly for civilian energy and medical research.

Meanwhile, Tehran has adjusted its diplomatic approach. According to sources familiar with the negotiations, Iran has revised its earlier proposal, which had demanded a seven-day waiting period before talks could restart, and now offers a shorter timeline for resuming dialogue. However, Iran insists that Washington must first meet preconditions, including halting all hostilities, lifting the naval blockade, and waiving sanctions.

At a weekly press conference, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei defended his country’s stance. “Is it unreasonable that Iran demands that US illegal sanctions and its naval blockade must be lifted before negotiations start, and that the war should end on all fronts?”

Despite the cautious optimism, Trump underscored that the US military remains prepared for any contingency. He stated that while the possibility of renewed military strikes on Iran is currently low, America’s armed forces are “locked and loaded” and ready to respond to any shift in the Middle Eastern landscape. “Should there be any change with respect to developments in the Middle East, the United States of America is ‘locked and loaded’ and ready to go,” Trump said. “At this point, however, that seems to be quite unlikely.”