Trump Says New Iran War 'Highly Unlikely' as Nuclear Talks Progress

President Donald Trump said Sunday it is "highly unlikely" the US will resume military action against Iran if negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz progress, while warning fresh strikes remain possible without a deal. In a CNN interview, Trump repeated the assessment five times, citing Iran's economic struggles, including 301% inflation, and claimed prior US strikes severely degraded its military capabilities, leaving only 10% of missile and 15% of drone capacity. He said US forces, including three aircraft carriers, are ready if needed. The comments come eight months into a stalemated conflict with continued Iranian attacks on oil tankers. Iran's hardliners cite last week's US midterm election losses as weakening Trump's position, while Tehran faces sanctions and frozen assets. Trump said he prefers avoiding strikes on infrastructure like bridges, as rebuilding could take years.