April 15, 2026

Trump says war in Iran is 'close to ending.' He does not plan to extend the ceasefire

The US President, in an interview with Fox News journalist Maria Bartiromo, stated that, in his opinion, the war with Iran is 'close to ending.' '[The war with Iran] is close to ending, yes, I mean, in my opinion, it's extremely close to ending,' Trump said. At the same time, the head of the White House told ABC News journalist Jonathan Karl that he does not intend to extend the ceasefire because he sees no need for it. 'I think you have amazing two days coming up. I really do,' Karl conveyed Trump's words. The journalist asked the president whether the war would end with an agreement, or if the US would declare: 'We destroyed their capabilities, and that's it.' 'It can end any way, but I think an agreement is preferable because then they [Iranian authorities] can rebuild the country. They really have a different regime now. Regardless, we destroyed the radicals. They are no longer there,' the head of the White House responded. In a private conversation with Karl, Trump added that if he were not president, 'the world would be torn to pieces.' These statements followed hours after the US President told the New York Post that a new round of peace talks 'could take place in the next two days' in Pakistan. The previous meeting took place on April 11 in Islamabad. It was attended by the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, US Vice President J.D. Vance, and Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif. The parties did not reach a consensus on several issues. After this, Trump stated that the American Navy 'will start blocking all ships without exception attempting to enter or leave the Strait of Hormuz.'