After talks with Qatar’s prime minister, Trump calls the Iran war militarily “effectively over” and new strikes “quite unlikely,” while Iran’s security chief derides “imaginary talks”

President Donald Trump on Monday, Nov. 9, told reporters he believes the war in Iran “militarily is effectively over,” AP reports, and he said the U.S. would keep “the status quo,” which Al Jazeera says includes the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports. “Iran militarily is effectively over,” Trump said, according to Al Jazeera. “We’re just keeping it the status quo, and we’re doing that really at the behest of countries that are their neighbours.” AP says the remarks suggest that, “at least for now,” he does not plan to resume the bombardment, according to the AP copy carried by The Washington Post.

The comments came in what AP calls a surprise visit to the White House briefing room and Al Jazeera calls a surprise briefing, after Trump met Qatar’s prime minister and foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, earlier in the day. Al Jazeera says Vice President JD Vance joined the closed-door meeting, and Gulf Times, citing Al Jazeera, says it lasted 45 minutes. AFP White House correspondent Danny Kemp posted a photo from the room at about 1:41 p.m. PT showing Trump at the lectern “with Dana White… and reading out his Truth on Iran”; NBC News’ live blog says Trump brought the UFC chief executive on to field questions.

Kemp’s post says Trump read out his Truth Social post on Iran, which states: “Most importantly, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and others, would prefer the status quo, in other words, a continuation of the Greatest Naval Blockade in History, and the new Operation Iron Gate — Therefore, Land and Sea” (text checked against the trumpstruth.org archive of the post). “All have agreed that Iran cannot have a Nuclear Weapon — That is non-negotiable!” The post adds that the United States stays “locked and loaded” if developments change, then says: “At this point, however, that seems to be quite unlikely.”

Trump also spoke about force in the briefing room. “Taking military action doesn’t seem to be a very necessary thing, but we’re locked and loaded, ready to go for any reason that changes,” he said, per Al Jazeera. “Israel and the entire Middle East are protected from Iranian danger and threats, and we’re seeing momentum toward the end of this conflict. I think it’s going to be ending fairly soon.” The National quotes him citing “a good chance” that the conflict could end, and adds: “We’ll see what happens. I don’t guarantee anything, but if we do have to go back in, we are locked and loaded and ready to go.”

Asked why he would not simply declare the conflict over, Trump framed the blockade as protection for Gulf partners, Al Jazeera reports. “We have some great allies there, and we have to make sure they’re not hurt, and they would be hurt,” he said, according to Al Jazeera. “They are right now a lot safer than they were six months ago because Iran’s been very much decapitated. But they’re still the bully of the Middle East a little bit.” In a brief phone interview with Reuters’ Steve Holland, Trump said “Qatar would rather see a peaceful solution” and “Saudi Arabia would rather see a peaceful solution,” but “we’re ready to go anytime we want” with strikes; “We’ll see where it goes,” he told Reuters. “I’m prepared.”

“It was great meeting with President @realDonaldTrump and Vice President @VP in Washington. We discussed the situation in the region and ways to progress the US-Iran talks. Grateful for the positive discussions on reaching a deal and bringing peace to the region,” Sheikh Mohammed wrote on X. Al Jazeera reports that he “reportedly presented Trump with a two-day proposal from Iran to end the war.” Iran International carried the same post and described the discussions as focused on advancing U.S.-Iran negotiations.

Iranian officials dismissed Trump’s latest remarks as a distraction, Al Jazeera reports. “The war on Iran has already wrecked the US government. But Washington flails like a desperate gambler. FOLD YOUR HAND. STOP manufacturing FAKE NEWS about imaginary talks. Stop denying the West Asian NEW ORDER. Time to SURRENDER to the seven conditions Iran has repeatedly set out,” Mohsen Rezaei, the Supreme National Security Council secretary, wrote on X at about 2 p.m. PT. Al Jazeera also reports, citing Iranian media, that President Masoud Pezeshkian said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had called for an end to a situation of “neither war nor peace,” and that Pezeshkian said: “We will not surrender to force and bullying.”

A Reuters report carried by NBC News, published before the meeting, sets out the gap over terms. Iran’s plan would end the U.S. blockade of its ports, lift some sanctions and halt bombing in return for Tehran lifting its own blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, with nuclear talks to follow, Reuters says; Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday called Tehran’s conditions “outrageous and ridiculous and really not realistic.” Reuters adds that Trump told CNN on Sunday that the U.S. had identified infrastructure targets, “including 38 bridges,” it would strike if military action resumes, and that senior UAE official Anwar Gargash warned: “We should... prepare for a long period of uncertainty in which neither a decisive resolution nor stable regional order can be taken for granted.” Al Jazeera lists Iran’s seven conditions as including lifted sanctions, released frozen funds, recognition of a new Hormuz shipping route worked out with Oman, and an end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon.

Outlets differ on what to call the new land effort. Trump’s post names it “Operation Iron Gate,” while Al Jazeera describes a “newly announced Task Force Iron Gate” that seeks to cut off trade by land and through the Caspian Sea. Reuters, in the pre-meeting report, says mutual attacks continue, citing Iranian state media on a U.S. strike on Qeshm island overnight; the U.S. had not commented on those reports, Reuters says, while Al Jazeera notes that the administration announced “minor strikes” against Qeshm Island in recent days.

The remarks landed on the same day Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., moved to force a House vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Massie’s release says the House will vote on “eight specific impeachment charges,” and the resolution text lists eight articles, three of them on waging war in contravention of the War Powers Resolution. “By engaging in hostilities in Iran for more than 90 days without congressional authorization, Secretary Hegseth is breaking the law and must be held accountable,” Massie said in the release. NBC News reports that Hegseth plans a press conference on Tuesday morning, and a Reuters video post says the filing starts “a two-day clock for an expected House vote.” Trump pushed back on the impeachment effort: “What about impeaching the leaders of the stupid wars that were done where nothing was gained?” he asked, according to a C-SPAN clip on X.