WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump has indicated his willingness to negotiate an end to hostilities between Iran and Israel, provided all parties agree to continue current military operations without escalation or de-escalation, according to sources familiar with the proposal.
The framework, described by advisors as "pragmatic," would formalize the existing state of affairs, including periodic drone strikes, oil tanker incidents, and the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which currently restricts approximately 21 percent of global petroleum traffic. "The President believes strongly in peace," said a campaign spokesperson who requested anonymity to discuss the plan. "He's willing to end this war even if nothing actually changes."
Under the proposed agreement, Iranian forces would continue targeting military installations in Saudi Arabia on a schedule to be determined by a joint committee, while Israeli operations would proceed as normal, subject to quarterly review. The Strait of Hormuz would remain "largely closed," a term the proposal does not define, though officials suggested it means "closed enough to matter but open enough to avoid total collapse."
"This represents a major breakthrough," said a senior advisor, speaking from Mar-a-Lago. "For the first time, we have a path to ending a war that allows it to continue indefinitely. The President has always been a dealmaker." The advisor confirmed that Trump had thought about the region "many times" and once met someone from the Middle East.
When asked whether a war that continues at current levels could be accurately described as "ended," the spokesperson referred reporters to a forthcoming white paper titled "Redefining Outcomes: A Framework for Calling Things Whatever We Want." The paper, currently under review by a committee tasked with reviewing committees, is expected to be released "in due course," according to officials familiar with the timeline for things that will not happen.