US President Donald Trump is interested in calling on Arab countries to help bear the financial burden of the ongoing war with Iran, the White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday. Speaking to reporters, Karoline Leavitt said Trump “would be interested” in calling on Arab countries to help cover the cost of the war, adding that the President is likely to speak further on the issue.
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Iran has already made it clear it is not ready to step back from the conflict without firm conditions being met. In a televised address, senior military adviser Mohsen Rezaei had said Tehran would not end hostilities without full accountability from its adversaries.
“The war will continue until we receive full compensation for all our losses, all economic sanctions are removed, and we receive international legal guarantees that Washington will not interfere in our affairs,” he said.
However, the White House struck an optimistic tone on diplomacy. According to the Press Secretary, indirect talks with Iran are moving forward despite public posturing from Tehran. “Despite all of the public posturing talks are continuing and going well,” Leavitt said, adding that “what is said publicly is much different than what’s being communicated to us privately.”
She also described Iranian negotiators as “more reasonable behind the scenes than perhaps some of the previous leaders who are now no longer on planet Earth.”
TRUMP THINKS WAR WILL LAST FOUR TO SIX WEEKS: LEAVITT
The White House also offered a clearer sense of how long the conflict could last. Leavitt said Trump has maintained from the outset that the war would run for around four to six weeks — and that timeline has not changed.
“We’re on day 30 today,” she noted.
While the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz remains a priority, Leavitt said it is not the sole benchmark for winding down operations. She stressed that the US is actively working towards restoring safe passage through the strategic waterway, but made it clear that achieving the broader military objectives takes precedence.
BOOTS ON GROUND NOT RULED OUT
On the question of deploying US troops on the ground in Iran, Leavitt said Trump has “declined to rule out” the possibility, though no decision has been made.
She said the Pentagon is preparing multiple options for the US President.
Leavitt was also asked about Trump’s remarks on potentially targeting desalination plants in Iran — facilities critical for civilian water supply. She said the US military would operate “within the confines of the law”, but added that Trump remains committed to achieving the full objectives of the operation.
“President Trump is going to move forward unabated,” she said.
She made clear that Washington is prepared to escalate if negotiations fail. “This is another historic opportunity for Iran to do the right thing or, again, they will see the grave consequences of the United States Armed Forces,” she said.
– Ends
With inputs from agencies
Published On:
Mar 30, 2026 23:13 IST
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