 |
| ▲ This photo, released by AFP, shows U.S. President Donald Trump speaking to the press outside the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on April 13, 2026. (Yonhap) |
Trump-Iran war
Trump says war with Iran 'very close to over,' Iran wants to make a deal 'very badly'
By Song Sang-ho
WASHINGTON, April 15 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump has said the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran is "very close to over," a report said Wednesday, amid speculation that peace talks between Washington and Tehran could resume in the coming days.
Trump made the remarks in an interview with Fox News, as Pakistani officials are striving to facilitate the resumption of negotiations between the United States and Iran, after the two sides yielded no agreement during marathon talks in Islamabad on Saturday and Sunday.
"I think it's close to over. I mean I view it as very close to over ... What if I pulled up stakes right now. It would take them 20 years to rebuild that country," he said. "We're not finished. We'll see what happens."
He reiterated that Iran wants to make a deal "very badly."
In a phone interview with Sky News, Trump raised the possibility that a deal with Iran could come before King Charles III visits Washington late this month.
"It's possible. Very possible. They're beaten up pretty bad. It's very possible," he said.
When negotiations resume, the U.S. and Iran are expected to seek to bridge differences over a series of high-stakes issues, including U.S. demands for Iran to renounce its nuclear program and take its stockpile of enriched uranium out of the country.
Iran's demands include the release of its frozen assets, the lifting of primary and secondary sanctions, and its claimed right to regulate traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for oil, gas and other commodities.
On Tuesday, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Trump wants a "grand bargain" with Iran rather than a "small" deal, indicating that he wants a comprehensive peace agreement that covers nuclear and other key issues in a package.
(END)
(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved
