3 min readNew DelhiAug 10, 2026 05:37 AM IST
First published on: Aug 9, 2026 at 10:44 PM IST
US President Donald Trump has been reflecting on the possibility of declaring victory against Iran without achieving a deal over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear programme, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, but added that the objective became more difficult after Tehran made new demands to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump weighs shifting focus from Iran nuclear deal
The WSJ report, citing US officials, stated that the White House is considering fine-tuning its objective from forcing a nuclear deal with Iran to restoring commercial shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
It added that the US President privately discussed the idea of ending the conflict with Tehran with senior aides in the administration.
The officials told the news outlet that if the United States can keep Iran’s nuclear programme under surveillance and traffic resumes in the strategic waterway, then Trump would likely extend the ceasefire in the region “indefinitely.”
Trump signals economic pressure on Tehran
Notably, during an interview with Axios on Sunday, Trump signalled that he is ready to mount economic pressure on Iran instead of a direct military confrontation that started in February this year.
“We are low-keying it. We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money,” the US President said, adding Washington is “only semi-negotiating” with Tehran as of now.
Netanyahu rejects Trump-backed Gaza peace plan
Meanwhile, Trump is also facing opposition from his close ally Israel as the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Washington-backed Gaza peace plan on Sunday, saying Israeli forces will not withdraw from the territory until Hamas is fully disarmed.
The rejection puts Netanyahu at odds with a key element of Trump’s proposal, which envisages a phased Israeli withdrawal linked to the demilitarisation of Gaza.
At a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu said, “Israel rejects the 15-point document,” referring to a plan that was endorsed by Hamas last month. The Israeli army “will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed and will continue to thwart threats against our forces and our citizens,” he added.
US President Donald Trump and Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. (AI generated video) 
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