US President Donald Trump said the United States and Israel had effectively achieved “regime change” in Iran following weeks of conflict, while expressing confidence that a deal with Tehran was within reach.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said the killing of multiple senior Iranian figures during the war had resulted in a fundamentally different leadership structure. “We’re dealing with a whole different group of people,” he said, adding that he expected an agreement to be concluded soon.
Iran has since moved to appoint Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ali Khamenei, as the country’s new supreme leader — the third since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, according to AFP.
The conflict, which began with coordinated US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, has severely disrupted global energy flows. Tehran responded by effectively shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route that carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies.
The closure has driven oil prices sharply higher, intensifying pressure on global markets. However, Trump indicated that easing may be imminent, revealing that Iran had allowed a number of oil tankers to pass through the waterway.
“They gave us… 20 large oil tankers going through Hormuz,” Trump said, adding that shipments would begin moving within days.
Despite the escalating tensions and continued reports of strikes across the region, Washington signaled that diplomatic efforts remain active, with expectations of a potential breakthrough in the coming period.
