War on Iran 'can be over very soon' Trump says, as backchannel diplomacy resumes

US President Donald Trump stated that the joint US-Israeli war on Iran could end soon, claiming Iran's military has been largely destroyed. He described a new, more reasonable regime in Tehran as backchannel diplomacy, mediated by Pakistan, has resumed. Trump defended a US military blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, intended to deny Iran oil revenue. He asserted the action was necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and had not received pushback from China or Saudi Arabia.