Trump's Ready to End Iran War Without Nuclear Deal If Strait Reopens

U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to conclude military operations against Iran without securing a comprehensive nuclear agreement, provided Tehran guarantees the complete reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

According to American officials who spoke to The Wall Street Journal, the White House has recalibrated its primary objective from forcing a broader nuclear deal toward restoring commercial shipping through the critical energy corridor.

Washington views the resumption of unhindered maritime transit as the key benchmark required to declare an end to the conflict.

Strategic Priorities Shift

The pivot follows private deliberations in which President Trump informed senior advisers that a formal nuclear pact is no longer a strict prerequisite for ending hostilities.

White House officials believe previous strikes destroyed three primary nuclear facilities, neutralizing Tehran’s immediate enrichment capacity and leaving remaining buried materials inaccessible.

Washington calculates that U.S. intelligence tracking and the ongoing threat of military action will suffice as a long-term deterrent against any Iranian effort to rebuild its nuclear infrastructure.

Tehran Demands High Price

However, securing an exit strategy has been complicated by escalating demands from Iranian officials over the weekend.

Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, stated that Tehran requires a permanent end to military action, the removal of American forces, the lifting of naval blockades, billions in war reparations, and the unfreezing of global assets before shipping traffic can resume.

Tehran has also sought to ban U.S. warships from the waterway and impose transit tolls on commercial vessels, terms Washington has flatly rejected.

“The Iranians fully believe Trump wants out and is focused on opening the strait, which is why they are playing hardball,” said Gregory Brew, an Iran expert at the Eurasia Group.

Domestic Pressure Mounts

The White House faces mounting internal pressure to resolve the disruption as average U.S. gasoline prices linger at $4.02 per gallon, significantly higher than pre-war levels, ahead of upcoming congressional midterm elections.

While President Trump recently asserted that military objectives have been fully realized, sporadic drone and missile strikes in the waterway, including a recent strike on a vessel reported by the United Arab Emirates, continue to stall commercial traffic and destabilize global energy markets.

“Iran’s recent hardline demands for reopening the strait make it increasingly difficult for the president to manufacture a face-saving off-ramp from the conflict,” said Mona Yacoubian, director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Despite the negotiation impasse, U.S. officials indicate Washington remains open to an indefinite ceasefire and lifting port blockades if shipping lanes are fully restored, maintaining economic pressure while attempting to secure an exit from the war.