Trump Says Iran War Is Ending 'Fairly Soon'; Bessent Moved to a Military Base After Iranian Threats, Reports Say

Status: President Trump's White House remarks are on the record; no agreement ending the war has been announced. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's move to a military base was first reported by the New York Times and confirmed in a Treasury statement quoted by Reuters, the Guardian, and USA Today. The severity of the threats against him was not immediately clear, the Times reported.

Trump on the war, and the market reaction

Speaking at the White House on Monday after meeting Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Trump said, "We're seeing momentum toward the end of this conflict. I think it's going to be ending fairly soon," CNBC and the Guardian reported. He said "Iran militarily is effectively over" and that, at this point, further military action did not seem necessary. He also said Israel and Gulf allies were well protected and that the United States remains "locked and loaded, ready to go for any reason" that circumstances change.

Those comments are Trump's assessment, not a signed settlement. CNBC noted that he reiterated Iran would not be allowed a nuclear weapon and left the door open to resuming strikes if conditions changed, while calling new strikes "quite unlikely."

Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei offered a different account. Speaking to Al Mayadeen, he said claims "about continuing negotiations or holding a meeting in Qatar is a pure lie," and that the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until the United States meets Tehran's seven conditions, Al Jazeera reported. Iran has not published the full list; Rezaei and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi have said it includes lifting sanctions and the naval blockade. In Paris, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that Washington was "open to diplomacy" and that "the economic campaign is so devastating that right now there is no need for major combat operations," Al Jazeera reported. For the tanker reports and a fuller account of Rezaei's conditions, see Iran Reports Tanker Blasts in the Strait of Hormuz; UKMTO Confirms an Incident.

Brent crude, the global benchmark, fell nearly 3% to $89.66 a barrel on Tuesday morning, the lowest since Aug. 31, the Guardian reported, after a sharp drop on Monday. UPI reported that the U.S. average price of gasoline at the pump fell to $3.98 on Tuesday, below $4 and the lowest since July, while noting that gasoline and diesel remained substantially higher than they were before the war began on Feb. 28.

For the Israel desk's account of the same Trump remarks, including the IDF's reported two-scenario planning, see Trump Says Iran War Ending 'Fairly Soon'; IDF Preparing Two Scenarios.

Bessent moved after Iranian threats

Bessent has led the administration's sanctions and economic-pressure campaign against Iran, known as Operation Economic Outcast, since August, Reuters reported, a campaign that has coincided with a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and is intended to push Tehran to end attacks on shipping and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Two people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday that Bessent had recently moved from his Washington, D.C., residence to a U.S. military base after Iranian threats against his life. USA Today, citing the Times and Fox News, reported that Treasury officials confirmed the move. The location of the base was not disclosed.

"The secretary will not be deterred by the Iranian regime's threats and remains committed to executing Operation Economic Outcast and maintaining the blockade, which together are collapsing Iran's economy," a Treasury spokesperson said in a statement quoted by Reuters and the Guardian.

The Times reported that the severity of the threats to Bessent was not immediately clear. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that security concerns increased after the Wall Street Journal published an aerial photograph of a Georgetown mansion Bessent bought after his confirmation, which the source said allowed the home to be geolocated. Iran has previously denied plotting to attack officials and people on U.S. soil, Reuters reported. U.S. officials have also said Iran's ability to carry out large-scale attacks in the United States is limited, according to the Times account relayed by Reuters.

The Guardian and USA Today reported that Bessent is the latest senior Trump official to move onto a military base or into protected housing. USA Today, citing prior reports, said Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Hegseth have lived on a Washington-area base and that White House chief of staff Stephen Miller moved into military housing in 2025.