Trump Says Iran Deal Near as Ceasefire Holds After Weekend Strikes

President Donald Trump on Tuesday once again claimed that a deal to end the war with Iran was just days away, even as Israeli strikes on Iranian territory and Lebanon tested the fragile ceasefire that has held since April. Speaking to reporters after attending an NBA Finals game in New York, Trump described the negotiations as being in their final stages and predicted that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen immediately upon signing. He has made similar forecasts more than three dozen times in recent months, including promises that fighting would conclude within four to six weeks. The conflict instead passed the 100-day mark on Sunday.

The latest round of violence began over the weekend when Iran launched missiles at northern Israel after accusing Israeli forces of violating the truce with attacks on Beirut's southern suburbs. Israel responded with strikes on what it described as strategic defense systems inside Iran, including a petrochemical complex in Mahshahr. Iranian officials reported no casualties but warned that renewed hostilities could follow if Israeli operations in Lebanon continue. Tehran's foreign ministry told reporters that any further Israeli actions would force Iran to resume direct attacks.

Trump has urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to exercise restraint, according to Axios reporting, warning that additional strikes risk collapsing the truce. Netanyahu has rejected any linkage between the Iran talks and operations against Hezbollah, insisting that both adversaries have been significantly weakened. Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter told Fox News that negotiations with Tehran have nothing to do with Lebanon and vowed that Israeli operations there would proceed separately.

Analysts note that the United States and Israel have been unable to achieve the decisive military results they initially sought. The conflict has left American strategic leverage in the region diminished, making any return to the pre-2018 status quo on Iran's nuclear program increasingly difficult. Trump, who withdrew from the Obama-era nuclear agreement in 2018, has repeatedly ruled out terms that resemble that accord, yet current battlefield realities point toward an outcome that could prove less favorable than the original deal he abandoned.

Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that repeated Israeli violations demonstrate a lack of genuine commitment to trust-building measures. The ceasefire remains brittle, with both sides accusing the other of undermining it through proxy actions and direct strikes. Public disagreements between Washington and Jerusalem have added further strain, as Trump attempts to balance support for Israel with the need to stabilize the situation before broader economic fallout from the closed strait intensifies.

Trump has insisted there are no major sticking points and that Iran is prepared to accept terms barring nuclear weapons. He also predicted total victory within the next two weeks during a remote appearance at a South Carolina rally. Those assertions come amid reports of an American military helicopter downing near the strait on Monday, an incident the president briefly addressed without providing details on casualties or cause.

The pattern of optimistic timelines followed by renewed fighting has raised questions about whether any agreement can hold without addressing Israel's separate campaign against Iranian-backed groups. With tensions remaining elevated and both sides maintaining that their core demands have not changed, the prospect of a durable resolution appears more distant than the White House has acknowledged.