Kathmandu. US President Donald Trump has given clear signs that he will not prolong the war amid escalating tensions with Iran. He told his closest advisers that he aimed to end the conflict within the next few weeks, according to a report. This indicates that the US is leaning towards a diplomatic solution.

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, Trump has privately expressed confidence that the conflict is in its final stages, citing people familiar with the matter. He stressed the need to find a solution within the four to six weeks’ time frame that has already been mentioned publicly. The deadline is likely to come before a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in mid-May.

Speaking at the NRCC annual fundraiser on Thursday, Trump claimed that he had resolved eight wars and hoped the same would be repeated in the case of Iran. He said Iran was involved in talks but was reluctant to admit it publicly. He said that they have not been able to negotiate openly because of the fear of threat from the powers inside Iran, and American pressure is also a matter of concern for them.

White House Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt reiterated Trump’s priority is peace. He said some of the attack plans were suspended after Iran showed signs of talks. Levitt said the talks had been “productive” over the past few days, saying Iran was ready to come to the talks after Trump’s stern warning.

He made it more clear and warned Iran not to misjudge again. Noting that Tehran has inflicted heavy casualties on its top leadership, navy, air force and air defense systems during the recent tensions, he indicated that the US was ready to take even stronger measures if Iran did not accept the reality.

Tehran, on the other hand, has not responded positively to the US proposal. Iran has reiterated its insistence that an end to the conflict is only possible on its own terms and timelines. It has also threatened to continue resistance until its demands are met and will strike “hard if necessary”.