Trump claims Iran war 'very close' to completion

WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump claimed on Tuesday that the war against Iran is "very close" to completion.

Trump made the remarks in response to a question from FOX News.

"If I pulled up stakes right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild that country. And we're not finished," Trump said. "We'll see what happens. I think they want to make a deal very badly."

Earlier on Tuesday, Trump said that another round of US-Iran talks "could be happening over next two days" in Pakistan, according to The New York Post.

All parties are making difficult attempts to advance negotiations before the current 2-week ceasefire expires, according to reports.

The coming rounds of peace talks between the United States and Iran to end the war can come anytime and anywhere, but nothing is official as of now, according to a source with the Iranian embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Face-to-face talks in Islamabad between US and Iranian delegations ended without an agreement over the weekend. Iran demanded a permanent regional ceasefire and sanctions relief, while the United States insisted on verifiable nuclear disarmament and full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, the United States has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports, and Trump warned that US forces would "eliminate" any Iranian vessel approaching the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.

The current conflict began in late February, when Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and civilians.

Iran responded with waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and US assets in the Middle East, while tightening control over the Strait of Hormuz.