Archive · 18 Sep 2026
Trump Weighs Iran War Next Steps Ahead of Gulf Meeting
The war involving Iran has lasted almost seven months.
President Donald Trump said he hopes it will end soon and that Iran may want a deal.
He also said he is facing an important decision about what to do next.
Trump plans to meet leaders from six Gulf countries in New York.
They are expected to discuss the war and what the region should look like afterward.
The fighting has also spread to Yemen, where Houthi forces and Saudi Arabia have exchanged attacks.
More than 100,000 people have reportedly been displaced inside Yemen.
Drone attacks damaged part of a Saudi oil pipeline, while shipping through important waterways has fallen.
No new United States-Iran negotiations have been reported since an interim agreement collapsed in June.
Donald Trump said he hoped the nearly seven-month Iran war was nearing its end and claimed Iran wanted a deal.
Trump said he was approaching a “big decision” and would consider Gulf leaders’ views before determining his next move.
Trump is scheduled to meet leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman in New York next Tuesday.
The meeting is expected to address the conflict’s next phase and United States plans for a postwar regional order.
Fighting has expanded to Yemen, where Houthi-Saudi clashes, attacks on energy infrastructure and shipping disruptions have increased regional and economic risks.
- Who
- United States President Donald Trump, Iran, Israel, six Gulf countries, Saudi Arabia and Iran-aligned Houthi forces are the principal parties mentioned.
- What
- Trump is weighing the next phase of the Iran war, signaling a possible deal while preparing to meet Gulf leaders and responding to wider regional fighting.
- When
- Trump made the statements on Wednesday and Thursday; the Gulf meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday, during the seventh month of the war, which began on February 28.
- Where
- The meeting is planned at United Nations headquarters in Manhattan, while the conflict involves Iran, Israel, Gulf states, Lebanon, Yemen and nearby maritime routes.
- Why
- Trump says he wants to assess Gulf leaders’ views before deciding his next move; the meeting is also expected to address postwar regional plans amid security, humanitarian and energy concerns.
Trump and Regional Security Concerns
Iran’s Position and Conflict Uncertainty
War objectives and next steps
Trump and Regional Security Concerns
Trump says he is considering a major decision, including whether to resume substantial military action, and wants to consult Gulf leaders first.
Iran’s Position and Conflict Uncertainty
The articles provide no detailed Iranian response to Trump’s proposed next steps, while fighting and uncertainty continue.
Prospects for a deal
Trump and Regional Security Concerns
Trump says Iran wants a deal and that the war may be nearing its end.
Iran’s Position and Conflict Uncertainty
No new United States-Iran negotiations have been reported since an interim agreement collapsed in June, and the articles say there is no immediate end in sight.
Nuclear program
Trump and Regional Security Concerns
Trump has cited weakening Iran’s nuclear capabilities as one objective of the war.
Iran’s Position and Conflict Uncertainty
Iran says its uranium-enrichment program is peaceful and does not have nuclear weapons.
Regional consequences
Trump and Regional Security Concerns
Gulf states face security and economic risks from attacks on energy infrastructure, oil-export disruptions and threats to maritime routes.
Iran’s Position and Conflict Uncertainty
The conflict’s expansion, including Houthi-Saudi fighting, has produced civilian casualties, displacement and further humanitarian pressure in Yemen.
- War start
- The conflict began on February 28 after United States and Israeli attacks on Iran, followed by Iranian strikes on Israel and Gulf states hosting United States bases.
- Trump’s position
- Trump said he hoped the war was nearing its end and that Iran wanted to make a deal.
- Upcoming meeting
- Trump is scheduled to meet six Gulf leaders in New York next Tuesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
- Countries invited
- Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.
- Diplomatic status
- Reuters reported that no United States-Iran negotiations to end the war have occurred since an interim agreement reached in June later collapsed.
- Yemen displacement
- More than 100,000 people have been displaced inside Yemen, according to the United Nations refugee agency cited by Reuters.
- Oil pipeline disruption
- Drone attacks damaged three pumping stations on Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline, which normally handles about 4 million to 5 million barrels of oil daily.
- Maritime risk
- Commercial vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen sharply, while Houthi forces have captured positions overlooking the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
