Trump says return to Iran war 'highly unlikely' if talks advance

Tap a highlight to see why it matters.1 finding

US President Donald Trump said that a return to direct military conflict with Iran remains "highly unlikely" if negotiations produce an agreement on its nuclear program and maritime access through the Strait of Hormuz. "It depends on whether or not they sign a very strong agreement ... The answer is highly unlikely it’s going to be necessary," Trump told CNN, adding he would strike if he thinks it is "necessary." Trump emphasized that the American military had already inflicted severe damage during earlier engagements of the Iran war, maintaining that forces could resume strikes and "finish them off."

"We’re ready for it. I’ve got three aircraft carriers here. The other one just arrived. We have three. They’re fully locked and loaded," he said. On Iranian defensive capabilities to counter possible US attacks, Trump said that the Iranian government retains roughly 10% of its missile capacity and 15% of its drone capabilities, claiming US strikes would be "unstoppable." Turning to potential escalation scenarios, Trump asserted that US forces have identified 38 Iranian bridges that could be destroyed "in literally one hour."

However, he expressed reluctance to carry out strikes on civilian logistics networks, noting that rebuilding them would take a decade. Trump previously suggested that war in the region would conclude following the US midterm elections. Trump urges Netanyahu on Gaza peace Trump urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take steps to implement his Gaza peace plan, US media reported Sunday. The two leaders also discussed the war in Iran during a Thursday phone call, Axios reported.

Netanyahu initiated the call, which a source familiar with the matter describes as "constructive." Trump’s Gaza peace plan is a framework, unveiled in September 2025, to end the Gaza war through a ceasefire, hostage and prisoner releases, Hamas disarmament, phased Israeli withdrawal, and an internationally overseen transition to new Palestinian governance. At least 1,610 Palestinians have been killed and 5,819 others injured by Israeli fire since the ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The agreement was reached after two years of Israel’s genocidal war, which began in October 2023, killing more than 74,000 Palestinians, injuring over 175,000, and devastating 90% of civilian infrastructure.

Read the original article on aa.com.tr

What we found (1)

Anadolu Agency reports Trump's CNN interview on Iran, attributing his threats, his claims about Iran's remaining missile and drone capacity, and his bridge target list to him rather than stating them as fact. One line describes Trump's earlier remarks as suggesting the war would 'conclude' after the midterms, where the outlet's own earlier reporting said he had suggested a resumption of strikes after 3 November. The Gaza passage names Israeli fire as the cause of deaths and calls the war genocidal.

Drops what it reported before
Minor
“Trump previously suggested that war in the region would conclude following the US midterm elections.”
Why this matters
The words 'would conclude following the US midterm elections' present Trump's earlier signal about the midterms as a forecast of the war ending.
The impression it gives
A reader comes away thinking Trump had earlier signalled that the war would wind down once the midterms were over.
The context
Anadolu's own report a week earlier said Trump had suggested a resumption of strikes after 3 November, and other coverage says US media reported hostilities could restart after the midterms. The earlier signal was about renewed attacks, not an end to the war.
How we know
- Anadolu Agency (English) wrote earlier“though in previous remarks he has suggested a resumption after Nov. 3.”Trump favors diplomacy with Iran as Netanyahu urges strikes immediately after Tuesday's US midterms: Report (opens in a new tab)
- Al-Monitor reported“with US media reports suggesting that hostilities could restart after last Tuesday's midterm elections”Trump says Iran war 'highly unlikely' to resume (opens in a new tab)
Show it in the article

What it gets right

“At least 1,610 Palestinians have been killed and 5,819 others injured by Israeli fire”
It names who did the killing and gives the Gaza health ministry's figures without casting doubt on them.
“two years of Israel’s genocidal war”
It names the war in Gaza as genocidal in the outlet's own voice, in line with the UN Commission of Inquiry's finding, rather than hedging it as an allegation.
“Trump said that the Iranian government retains roughly 10% of its missile capacity and 15% of its drone capabilities”
It attributes Trump's figures about Iran's capabilities to him and says 'the Iranian government' rather than 'the regime'.

Trump says return to Iran war 'highly unlikely' if talks advance

Drops what it reported before

What it gets right

How other outlets reported it

More from Anadolu Agency (English)