US President Donald Trump told aides in recent days he wanted to end the war in Iran within weeks and avoid a prolonged conflict, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal.
He said privately he believed the war was in its final stage and urged advisers to stick to a four-to-six-week timeline, the people said.
White House officials planned a mid-May summit with China’s Xi Jinping expecting the war to end before the meeting, some of the people added.
Trump also told an associate the conflict was distracting from domestic priorities, according to one of the people.
A senior administration official said Trump floated securing US access to Iranian oil as part of a possible deal, though no planning was underway.
US officials said Trump remained reluctant to deploy ground troops, partly over concerns about casualties.
Another senior US official said Trump had directed the military to keep pressure on Tehran while leaving options open.
