# Trump considering declaring victory in Iran war without nuclear deal - WSJ
President Donald Trump has been laying the groundwork to declare victory in the war with Iran even without reaching a new nuclear agreement, The Wall Street Journal reported.
According to the report, Trump has privately indicated to senior aides that he could be prepared to walk away from negotiations over Iran's nuclear program if Tehran fully reopens the Strait of Hormuz.
The administration has increasingly focused on restoring free passage through the strategic waterway after broader negotiations with Iran proved difficult. However, Iran has demanded billions of dollars in payments, the lifting of the US naval blockade, the withdrawal of American forces from the region and other concessions in exchange for reopening the strait.
Iranian Supreme National Security Council secretary Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr said Tehran would require an end to the war, the lifting of sanctions, the release of frozen Iranian assets, war reparations and an end to US military action against Iranian-backed militias before allowing traffic through the waterway, according to Iranian state media.
The report noted that the demands have complicated efforts by the Trump administration to find a way to end the conflict while presenting the outcome as a victory.
Trump has repeatedly said that a deal with Iran was close while also warning that the US could launch a major military escalation if necessary. In recent days, he has suggested that the US has already achieved victory even without a nuclear agreement.
Vice President JD Vance said the US would continue pressuring Iran to make long-term changes in its relationship with Washington, while adding that the administration would continue applying pressure if Tehran refused.
A White House official said the US had completed its military objectives against Iran and that Trump's current focus was securing the flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz. The official added that military options would remain available if Iran continued targeting ships.
On the nuclear issue, US officials said Trump has told senior aides that Iran may be unable to restore its nuclear program during his presidency following the destruction of three primary nuclear sites. Trump has also expressed confidence that US intelligence would detect any attempt by Iran to rebuild the facilities or secretly develop a nuclear weapon.
According to the report, if Iran's nuclear capabilities remain contained and the Strait of Hormuz is fully reopened, Trump could extend the current ceasefire indefinitely. The US could also lift its military blockade of Iranian ports as part of such an arrangement.
Financial issues remain a major obstacle. Iran is seeking war reparations and the unfreezing of assets held abroad, while Trump has said US taxpayers will not provide money to Tehran. The two sides also disagree over whether Iran should be allowed to resume oil sales under sanctions waivers.
Trump's recent statements have increasingly indicated that he is seeking a way out of the conflict. He has described the Strait of Hormuz as "sort of open right now" while acknowledging that Iran could still threaten ships with missiles, drones and mines.
He has also played down concerns over Iran's buried uranium stockpile, saying the US already has the nuclear material because it is located so deeply underground.
The report said the latest developments suggest Trump's options for ending the conflict remain closely tied to whether Iran agrees to restore normal traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.