US expects Iran war to end in 'weeks, not months' despite European warning of 'escalation in coming days'

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Speaking on Friday afternoon, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington's aims can be achieved "without troops on the ground."

"We have objectives and we are very confident we are on the verge of achieving them," he said.

"We can achieve all of our objectives without our ground troops," Rubio continued.

"But we are always going to be prepared to give the president maximum optionality and maximum opportunity to adjust to contingencies, should they emerge."

Read more: Trump calls UK warships ‘toys’ as he lashes out at Starmer’s Iran war ‘mistake’

Read more: John Healey refuses to say if Iran has capability to strike UK

A meeting between the US and Iran could take place as early as this week, Donald Trump's envoy has also said.

Speaking about the Iran war at an event in Miami, Steve Witkoff said: "We think there will be meetings this week. We're certainly hopeful for it."

His comments come just hours after Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he believes the US could escalate its war in the coming days.

“I have reasons to believe, also based on information we’ve received from our allies, that stabilisation is unlikely in the coming days,” he said.

“On the contrary, a new escalation may occur.”

Recent reports also suggest Donald Trump is considering sending up to 10,000 more troops to the Middle East as his attempts to agree a peace deal for the war he started fall on deaf ears.

The US is reportedly considering a massive troop deployment that would include ‘infantry and armoured vehicles,’ according to the Wall Street Journal.

It is being presented as another option for Trump as he seeks peace talks with Iran.

The troops would likely be sent to a US military base within striking distance of Iran’s Kharg Island.

Around 5,000 US Marines and several thousand paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division are already making their way to the Middle East.

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said that no decision had been made yet.

She said: “All announcements regarding troop deployments will come from the Department of War.

“As we have said, President Trump always has all military options at his disposal.”

Trump has extended his pause on striking Iranian energy plants by ten days to April 6 and has again claimed peace talks are going "very well."

The President claimed that the extension request came from Tehran, and again said peace talks between the nations were on track.

He initially postponed the US military from unleashing strikes on Iran's power plants and energy infrastructure on Monday, citing "very good and productive conversations".

But the mini-ceasefire has now been extended to April 6.

Posting on his TruthSocial account, the President said: "As per Iranian Government request, please let this statement serve to represent that I am pausing the period of Energy Plant destruction by 10 Days to Monday, April 6, 2026, at 8 P.M., Eastern Time.

"Talks are ongoing and, despite erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media, and others, they are going very well. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP."

The President's initial threat to strike Iranian energy infrastructure came last Saturday and was issued if Tehran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The shipping channel, one of the world's busiest, has been partially blocked by Tehran since the US and Israel attacked the country on 28 February.

The closure has rocketed the price of oil and gas, and prompted UK inflation to flatline at three per cent last month.

Following the pause, G7 member states called on all parties to end attacks on civilians.

It is believed a US strike on a school in Iran killed at least 168 civilians, the vast majority children.

Israel, meanwhile, has killed well over 1,000 civilians in its attacks on Lebanon since the war began last month.

And Iran has continued to strike civilian populations across the Gulf despite Trump’s call for peace.

Speaking to Fox News on Thursday after the TruthSocial post, he said: "They said to me, very nicely, through my people 'could we have more time?'

"They asked for seven [days]. And I said, 'I'm going to give you ten', because they gave me ships.

"You know, we talked about the eight ships. You know, the present that I talked about the other day."

He was referring to comments made on Thursday in which he said the US had received a "very big present" from Iran, which was "worth a tremendous amount of money".

He said: "It wasn't nuclear, it was oil-and gas-related, and it was a very nice thing they did".

The White House has ramped up talks of a potential peace deal with Iran in recent days, but a 15-point plan submitted by Trump was rejected earlier this week.

But amid the mixed messaging, Trump earlier branded Iran a "lunatic nation" that is "begging for a deal".