US President Donald Trump has declared that the possibility of further US attacks on Iran is "highly unlikely", signaling a reduction in tensions and progress in negotiations to end the conflict in the Middle East.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, Trump said that Iran is virtually defeated militarily and that negotiations are moving in a positive direction.
"Militarily, Iran is practically finished," the US president declared, adding that Washington is currently maintaining the status quo, mainly at the request of Iran's neighboring countries.
Trump stressed that new US attacks on Iran are highly unlikely, but warned that US forces are ready for action if circumstances change.
"We are prepared and ready for action," he said.
The US president's statements come at a time when he has hinted that he aims to de-escalate the conflict. However, Iranian officials have consistently expressed skepticism about Trump's previous statements about the possibility of resolving the conflict through negotiations.
It is not the first time that Trump has called Iran militarily defeated, but this time his statements come after the disappointing results of Republicans in the recent US congressional elections. Several senior Republican figures, including Vice President JD Vance, have blamed the war with Iran for the electoral results.
Ahead of the midterm elections, Trump announced that US forces had carried out what he described as "limited strikes" on an Iranian island in the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, in an interview with the show "60 Minutes," broadcast on Sunday, the US president said that he currently saw "no reason" to further escalate the conflict.
Asked why he is not officially declaring an end to the war, Trump argued that some of the US's allies in the Persian Gulf could still face Iranian aggression.
"We have some wonderful allies there and we need to make sure they are not harmed," he declared, adding that the US naval blockade of Iranian ports is helping to ensure security in the region.
Trump's statements also affected international energy markets. Oil prices, which had fallen significantly after the midterm elections, suffered another decline.
On Tuesday afternoon in Asian markets, Brent crude fell more than 1%, trading at $91.50 a barrel, while U.S. crude fell 1.2%, to $85.82 a barrel.
