Trump refused to call Iran conflict a war, media outlet reports

US President Donald Trump refused to describe the confrontation with Iran as a war, citing an alleged prolonged absence of deaths. Novoe Izdanie attributed the statement to him in a report published on November 5, 2026. According to the same report, he also raised the possibility of further destructive action against Iran.

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In the translation published by the outlet, Trump claims nobody has died in the past six or seven months and contrasts the situation surrounding Iran with the Russia–Ukraine war. The published text does not make clear whose deaths he is referring to. The same report attributes to him the suggestion that he might have to destroy the rest of Iran.

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Separately, in a November 6 article, Ukrinform reported from the White House on Trump's remarks about Russia's war against Ukraine: the US president claimed that 25,000 people were dying each month and expressed hope for a swift end to the war. This is Trump's estimate, not independently established statistics. The agency also reported his promise of a major deal that could affect all of Europe; he did not disclose its substance.

Relations between Washington and Tehran have gone through different stages during the year. In a June 19, 2026 release, the White House announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Iran. The administration presented it as an agreement aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and restoring free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

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However, on July 28 the White House published Trump's remarks saying the United States had reinstated its blockade after Iran violated the deal, according to the president's account. In the same interview, he threatened strikes on Iranian bridges and power plants if a new agreement was not reached. The announcement of the June memorandum therefore did not mean the administration had abandoned threats to use force.