US eyes a swift end to war.

U.S. President Donald Trump and his Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the end of the war on Iran could be near, with Washington signaling potential for both direct talks with Tehran's leadership and a winding down of the conflict even without a deal.



The remarks underscored the shifting and at times contradictory timelines and statements from Washington about how and when the war, now in its fifth week, might end.



"We'll be leaving very soon," Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday, saying the exit could take place "within two weeks, maybe two weeks, maybe three."



Asked if successful diplomacy was a prerequisite for the U.S. to end what it calls "Operation Epic Fury", Trump said it was not.



"Iran doesn't have to make a deal, no," he said. "No, they don't have to make a deal with me."



Washington had previously threatened to intensify operations if Tehran did not accept a 15-point U.S. ceasefire framework that had among its core demands that Iran commit not to pursue nuclear weapons, halt all uranium enrichment and fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.