Trump says 'hopefully we are towards end' of Iran war

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he hoped an end to the war against Iran was near and a media report separately said he is expected to meet Gulf leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday to discuss the conflict. His comments come with the Iran war in its seventh month and with no immediate end in sight. Axios reported late on Wednesday Trump’s meeting with Gulf leaders next week in New York is expected to focus on US plans for a postwar strategy. The report cited unnamed sources. It added that Trump will meet with leaders or foreign ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. The State Department and the White House did not respond to requests for comment. Oil prices extend losses as fears of Middle East supply disruptions ease “Well, hopefully we are towards the end of the war,” Trump told reporters earlier in the evening. “They want to make a deal. We’ll see how that works out,” he said on Iran, reiterating past comments. Trump also said he had heard from Iran “directly,” without elaborating. Trump has offered shifting goals and timelines for the war that began on Februa