U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that the conflict with Iran was “effectively over,” expressing optimism that negotiations could produce a deal while warning that Washington remained ready to resume military strikes if necessary.

Speaking during an impromptu news conference at the White House, Trump said Iran was “talking very politely” with U.S. negotiators and that there was a “good chance” of reaching an agreement to end the conflict.

“Iran militarily is effectively over,” he said, adding that the United States was maintaining the current situation.

Asked why he had not declared victory and withdrawn U.S. forces from the region if he believed he had prevented Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, Trump said Washington needed to protect its regional allies.

“We have some great allies there, and we have to make sure they’re not hurt, and they would be hurt [if the U.S. pulled out now],” he said.

Trump added that Washington wanted a lasting settlement rather than a temporary arrangement, reiterating that Iran would never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.

“We want to make sure [there is] a long-term solution — not just a short-term. They’ll never have a nuclear weapon, but we have to make sure that’s a long-term,” he said.

He again described the conflict as ending quickly. When a reporter noted that he had repeatedly suggested for months that the war was close to ending, Trump denied having made such predictions, saying his position had consistently been that Iran would not acquire a nuclear weapon.

In a separate statement on Truth Social, Trump said the United States would not launch another military offensive against Iran for the time being, citing what he described as positive momentum toward ending the conflict and a preference among Washington’s Gulf allies to avoid further escalation.

The statement followed what Trump called an “excellent” meeting at the White House with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, whose country has played a key mediating role in the U.S.-Iran talks.

“Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, and others would prefer the status quo,” Trump wrote, referring to the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and efforts to block overland smuggling routes.

He warned that the United States remained prepared to respond militarily if the situation changed.

“Should there be any change with respect to developments in the Middle East, the United States of America is ‘locked and loaded’ and ready to go,” he said, adding that such a scenario appeared “quite unlikely” at this stage.

Trump also asserted that Israel and the wider Middle East were protected from Iranian threats, saying Washington was seeing “positive momentum toward an end to this conflict” and would continue to safeguard American interests.

“At the conclusion of this military engagement, the American people and the world will be far safer and more secure,” he said.

Al Thani, in a statement following his meetings with Trump and Vice President JD Vance, said they had discussed the regional situation and ways to advance negotiations between Washington and Tehran.

“Grateful for the positive discussions on reaching a deal and bringing peace to the region,” he wrote.

In a brief telephone interview with Reuters, Trump said Qatar and Saudi Arabia favored a peaceful resolution but stressed that the United States could resume military action if needed.

“Qatar would rather see a peaceful solution,” he said. “But we’re ready to go anytime we want” with strikes.

US Aircraft Moved From UK Base Amid Iran Threat

Despite Trump’s optimistic assessment of the negotiations, the United States has moved military aircraft from a British air base amid concerns about a potential Iranian threat, the Wall Street Journal reported.

U.S. officials are discussing whether the threat to RAF Mildenhall is general or directed specifically at the base, the newspaper said, citing officials and flight-tracking data.

Two aerial refueling tankers were moved to Germany on Monday morning, while additional tankers and other aircraft were relocated to Germany and other bases throughout the day, according to the report.

The U.S. military has not commented directly on the reported threat. The Air Force said aircraft are routinely moved between locations for various operational reasons.

“We do not routinely comment on the activity of other nations. Aircraft and other assets move regularly according to operational requirements,” a British Ministry of Defense spokesperson said.

The reported movements come after the U.S. Air Force withdrew all bombers stationed at RAF Fairford in England last month following an investigation into an alleged plot to carry out a terrorist attack at the base, which had been used in operations against Iran.

British officials have said that groups linked to Iran have been behind a series of arson attacks and other incidents in Britain and elsewhere. Many of the attacks have targeted Jewish communities and were intended to spread fear, they have said.

British authorities have also warned that Tehran could expand its targets in the United Kingdom if conflicts in the Middle East continue.