US President Donald Trump on Thursday said Washington faces a choice between fresh military action against Iran and a negotiated settlement, indicating that the war could end "very soon", with no clarity on which path he will take.
Asked at the White House how a deal could be struck with Iranian officials he has repeatedly described as "crazy", Trump replied: "Maybe you blow them up." He went on: "We have to make that decision. We blow them up or make a deal."
Q: You describe the Iranians as crazy. How do you get a deal done with crazy people?
Trump: Maybe you blow them up. We have to make that decision. We blow them up or make a deal. The time is coming. It's gonna end very soon. pic.twitter.com/clzdx3jYvLAlso Read | Layoffs Are Rising In Tech, But These Skills Are Helping People Unlock Better Pay
— Clash Report (@clashreport) September 30, 2026
"The time is coming," he said. "It's gonna end very soon, one way or the other."
Trump also said the US holds "total control" of the Strait of Hormuz, but added that this could change if Iran drops a mine, according to Azerbaijan's APA news agency.
The remarks come as diplomacy and fighting continue in parallel.
Contacts between Tehran and Washington, reportedly mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, have continued despite Trump rejecting Iran's latest proposal, a seven-day ceasefire plan he dismissed on Saturday.
Iran has since said it received a US counterproposal. Axios reported that the White House had expected progress in talks on Monday, but that negotiations had stalled by the afternoon.
ALSO READ: 'Strong Indications' Iran Involved In RAF Fairford Incident, Says UK PM Andy Burnham
Iranian officials have denied reports that they plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days. The waterway, a key route for global oil and gas shipments, has been at the centre of the conflict, and its disruption has affected energy markets and shipping, including Indian cargo.
Trump has said repeatedly in recent weeks that he is weighing whether to escalate or cut a deal, and his plans remain unclear. US officials have said all options remain on the table, according to reports citing the US envoy to the UN.
Iranian officials, for their part, have said that only a particular outcome would end the war, and that Trump is caught in a "quagmire".
The war has also drawn in other capitals. Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, has rejected British Prime Minister Andy Burnham's claim that Tehran played a role in the RAF Fairford incident, saying the UK was "barking up the wrong tree".
Trump's latest comments are consistent with the pattern he has followed through the conflict of pairing threats of force with offers of talks.
ALSO READ: 'United States' Spelling Mistake On Trump-Signed AI Accord Grabs Attention
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
