Prateek Tanmay
3 min readJun 4, 2026 02:34 PM IST
The word ‘ceasefire’ carries a different meaning in the Middle East, US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, offering the latest nugget of Trumpism while addressing reporters in the Oval Office amid the ongoing tensions in Iran.
Responding to a question about whether the ceasefire with Iran remained in effect despite continued hostilities, Trump said, “Pretty much the way it is. That’s a different part of the world. You know, I’d say in that part of the world, a ceasefire is when you’re shooting in a more moderate manner.”
His response came after a reporter raised concerns over recent Iranian military activity and asked whether the truce was still holding. Trump stated, “Well, you know, there’s a reason for everything.”
Pointing out recent US military actions, the president said US forces had struck Iranian targets heavily over the previous two nights. “We hit them pretty hard the night before and actually last night. We’ve been hitting them pretty hard,” Trump said, adding that the US had “nipped it in the bud” quickly, as per CNBC reports.
Ceasefire talks moving forward
Despite the ongoing US-Iran war, Trump expressed optimism about ongoing negotiations with Iran and said an agreement to extend the current ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz could be reached soon.
“Looking good, looking good…There was a little glitch earlier, but I turned that one around very quickly,” Trump said, according to ABC News.
Trump claims intervention prevented escalation
According to Trump, the setback stemmed from Iran’s reaction to Israeli strikes in Lebanon. He said he personally intervened to prevent the situation from deteriorating further.
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“The Iranians were upset…I spoke with Hezbollah … and I talked to Bibi and said no shooting, and they both stopped,” Trump said.
The president said that his conversations with both parties helped de-escalate tensions and keep negotiations on course.
Agreement yet to be finalised
Trump cautioned that discussions are still ongoing and that several issues remain unresolved before a final agreement can be reached.
“I still have to get a few more points. It’s not a simple thing. You’re talking about a very large country … tremendous hostility,” US president said. “It’s not easy from our standpoint either, but we’re getting what we need,” he further added.
