Trump aims to end the war with Iran within a month — WSJ
U.S. President Donald Trump has told his closest aides that he intends to avoid a protracted and exhausting conflict with Iran.
This was reported by The Wall Street Journal.
The White House chief hopes to bring active hostilities to an end in the coming weeks, adhering to his own timeline of four to six weeks.
The main goal of this urgency is to prepare for a major diplomatic summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, scheduled to take place in Beijing in May.
The U.S. president hopes to arrive at the meeting having already resolved the Iranian issue so he can focus on other global priorities.
Despite public optimism, Donald Trump currently lacks simple mechanisms for an immediate ceasefire.
Peace talks are only in the initial stages, and the parties’ positions remain diametrically opposed due to Tehran’s refusal to engage in direct contact.
Sources in Washington note that the U.S. president is constantly wavering between increasing military pressure and seeking compromises.
“As the conflict has unfolded, the U.S. leader has wavered behind the scenes between diplomacy and escalating strikes,” insiders close to the administration report.
The war in the Persian Gulf is distracting the White House from pressing domestic issues, particularly the fight against rising living costs.
Advisers are urging the country’s leader to focus on the economy, as the conflict continues to destabilize the global energy market.
The U.S. president is also expressing concern over a possible rise in casualties among American troops.
Currently, there are 13 known U.S. military fatalities and about 3,000 wounded, which is creating significant political pressure within the country.
This week, the U.S. president has somewhat softened his rhetoric, backing away from threats to attack Iranian power plants.
Instead, he is considering the possibility of securing U.S. access to a portion of Iranian oil as part of a future peace agreement.
At the same time, the Pentagon continues to deploy thousands of ground troops and Marines to the Middle East to demonstrate force.
“Trump could quickly order a targeted raid either inside Iran itself or on one of the islands along its southern coast,” military experts warn.
As a reminder, Trump said he trusts Putin more than Zelenskyy.
Trump also stated that there are no leaders left in Iran.
