US President Donald Trump appears to be seeking a way out of the military confrontation with Iran as the conflict becomes increasingly difficult to resolve, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
The report suggests that the US administration may be prepared to set aside the nuclear issue and declare victory if Tehran fully reopens the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route through which a significant share of the world's energy supplies passes.
According to WSJ, Trump has spent weeks preparing the groundwork for such an outcome and has privately told senior aides that he could withdraw without securing a formal nuclear agreement with Tehran.
But finding a face-saving resolution has become increasingly difficult after Iran presented a sweeping set of demands for restoring transit through the waterway. Tehran is seeking billions of dollars in payments, an end to the US naval blockade, the complete withdrawal of American forces from the region and other major concessions.
The demands have narrowed Washington's diplomatic options and raised concerns that Tehran may be preparing for a prolonged confrontation rather than a swift settlement.
Iran's ability to disrupt traffic through the narrow maritime corridor using missile and drone capabilities has given Tehran significant leverage, slowing global commercial shipping and contributing to volatility in international energy markets.
Although Trump has repeatedly asserted in recent weeks that the strait was fully open, those declarations have proved premature.
Tehran shut the strategic waterway following the outbreak of hostilities in February, saying American warships and allied vessels must not be allowed to transit, while also attempting to levy tolls on commercial shipping.
Notably, US officials have reiterated that Washington firmly rejects both the Iranian shipping restrictions and any attempts to impose tolls.
However, diplomatic prospects dimmed further over the weekend after the UAE said Iran had launched a missile strike against one of its vessels.
At the same time, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, outlined an extensive set of conditions for reopening the waterway.
According to Iran's state news agency IRNA, Zolghadr said the US would have to permanently end the war, lift its naval blockade, withdraw American military forces, remove all sanctions, release Iran's frozen financial assets and pay war reparations.
He also demanded an end to US threats and insults, as well as a complete halt to military action against Iran's allied militias across the region.
Domestic pressure
The pressure on Washington to find a resolution is also being driven by domestic political considerations ahead of the US midterm elections.
With petrol prices remaining significantly higher than before the war, the administration has been looking for a way to demonstrate to voters that the military campaign has achieved its objectives.
Addressing reporters in recent days, Trump said he had been prepared to launch the biggest military attack since World War II, but that US allies had persuaded him not to do so.
He also claimed that a deal with Iran was "imminent", although no formal agreement has materialised.
On Friday, Trump appeared to suggest that victory had already been achieved regardless of a nuclear deal, sharing a social media post linking to an article titled "Donald Trump Won the Iran War".
Vice President JD Vance indicated that Washington would continue applying pressure on Tehran to secure long-term structural changes in bilateral relations.
"And if not, that's fine, too, we're just going to keep on applying the pressure we can apply, and getting as much oil and gas out of the Middle East so that Americans can enjoy lower gas and energy prices," he said.
"We're in the middle of the game," Vance added.
Nuclear issue
The nuclear dispute has remained central to US-Iran tensions since April, when the White House warned that Tehran would never be permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon.
While Washington initially sought to incorporate nuclear commitments into a broader bilateral agreement, complex negotiations prompted the White House to shift its focus towards securing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump privately told senior aides in recent weeks that Iran may be unable to restart its nuclear programme during his presidency, following the US destruction of three major Iranian nuclear facilities in May 2025.
The US president argued during internal meetings that American intelligence assets would quickly detect any attempt by Tehran to rebuild those sites or secretly develop a nuclear weapon. He maintained that the threat of renewed US military strikes would serve as a lasting deterrent.
Trump has similarly played down concerns over Iran's underground enriched material.
"We've already got the nuclear material, because it's so far underground," Trump said during a July summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. "Nobody's going to be able to get it except us."
That calculation could allow Washington to move away from demanding a formal nuclear agreement if maritime transit through the strait is fully restored and the nuclear threat remains contained.
Financial demands, however, remain a major obstacle to any potential settlement.
Tehran continues to insist on billions of dollars in war damages and the unfreezing of its overseas financial assets.
While Trump previously said his administration would not allow American taxpayers' money to be handed to Iran, US officials cited by The Wall Street Journal said an agreement may be impossible unless Washington agrees to unfreeze some Iranian assets, potentially under specified conditions.
Another point of contention is the possible granting of sanctions waivers that would allow Iran to resume international oil sales.
Washington had previously granted such waivers as part of an interim truce, which later collapsed after Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz prompted the full restoration of US energy sanctions.
The issue therefore remains closely linked to whether the administration can craft an agreement that declares an end to hostilities without creating further political complications at home.
(With inputs from ANI and AFP)