If Trump Has ‘Won Iran War’, Then Why Does He Need Foreign Ships To End It? 3 Reasons Explained

Last Updated:March 16, 2026, 14:03 IST

US-Israel-Iran war: Trump has “demanded” that seven countries send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to help secure the waterway. Why? What has been their response? News18 explains

A week ago, US President Donald Trump told Britain not to bother sending ships to the Middle East because he had “already won the Iran war". Now, he’s calling on America’s “special relationship" ally; fellow NATO states; and even China to dispatch vessels to open the Strait of Hormuz, implying that if help doesn’t arrive, Europe’s US defence umbrella and his planned summit this month with Chinese leader Xi Jinping could be at risk.

Why the war is far from over

Trump’s remarks, in an interview with the Financial Times, showed that despite his multiple Iran victory laps, the war is far from over. This may explain new attempts by administration officials to convince the public and global markets that the conflict could end soon, according to a CNN analysis.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz declined to say on CNN’s ‘State of the Union’ on Sunday when American forces would come home. “I think that this conflict will certainly come to the end in the next few weeks, could be sooner than that," Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on ABC News’ ‘This Week’.

Israel, meanwhile, told CNN that fearsome bombing raids against Iranian military and intelligence targets could last at least three more weeks.

Why wars are not defined by their first few weeks

Experts say it is possible that US-Israel raids have caused considerable damage to Iran’s military machine and ability to threaten the outside world. If confirmed, such a scenario would offer Trump a credible argument to have made the world safer.

The war is only two weeks old. Modern history shows that a war is often not defined in the first few weeks, when America’s massive military edge is at its most decisive. So the White House is facing multiple reasons for scepticism that it can extricate the US soon, experts told CNN.

Trump’s conflicting statements add to confusion

Trump has barely prepared the country for the war, and he keeps adding to the confusion with conflicting statements. He vehemently insists that the war is already won. But he says it will end only when he feels it in his “bones". If victory is already achieved, it’s fair to ask why American troops are still in harm’s way after13 US deaths on active service so far.

The administration is also operating under a dark historical cloud. This war is not yet directly comparable to the “forever wars" in Iraq and Afghanistan. But in both those cases, early US triumphs were undermined by the political impact of the initial assault and poor understanding of foreign nations. There are enough signs in Iran to validate public concerns about a possible quagmire, said CNN.

At the same time, Trump has dilemmas that would undercut a characteristic declaration of victory if they remain unsolved but that could take more than “weeks" to mitigate.

Why Trump needs foreign ships: 3 reasons explained

Reason 1: Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz — causing a global energy crisis and steep oil price hikes that threaten to weaken him at home. Wiping out Iranian missile batteries, seaborne drones and mining operations could be a prolonged affair. And it might need the deployment of ground troops in a risky widening of US operations.

Trump is now demanding foreign navies help open the narrow strategic passage. There’s been a noncommittal response to his request so far. Trump told the Financial Times that Europe and China were more dependent on oil from the Gulf than the US — although American consumers have been hit by a general spike in oil prices. His remarks are likely to be seen abroad as a demand for help in fixing a mess he created by waging war on Iran. But the president took aim at the weak spot of European allies that rely on the US for their defence. “If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response, I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO," he said.

Reason 2: The Islamic Republic still has stocks of highly enriched uranium it could use to defy Trump’s vow it will never have a nuclear weapon — despite the president’s claim to have “obliterated" its nuclear program last year. The US has special forces units trained to extract radioactive material. But such a mission at Iran’s nuclear plants could require hundreds of troops and might provoke dangerous land battles with Iranian forces deep into hostile territory.

Reason 3: Another way to shatter Iranian government leverage would be for US forces to seize Kharg Island, the epicenter of Tehran’s oil exports that bankroll the regime. The island was targeted in weekend US air raids. The removal of the country’s primary economic engine might alter calculations within the regime. Waltz told CNN’s Jake Tapper that “I would certainly think (Trump) would maintain that optionality if he wants to take down their energy infrastructure." But an amphibious assault on Kharg Island would also risk significant US casualties. It could cause environmental damage and a market meltdown if Iran chose to sabotage its own oil facilities rather than lose them to American control.

Trump demands foreign help: How have the countries responded?

Trump “demanded" that approximately seven countries — specifically those heavily reliant on Middle Eastern oil — send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to help secure the waterway.

Here’s the countries’ response:

Japan: Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated Japan has no plan to dispatch naval vessels, citing the country’s war-renouncing constitution.

Australia: Officially declined, stating they had not been formally asked and will not contribute ships.

United Kingdom: Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed the need to reopen the strait but has made no firm commitment to send ships.

France: President Emmanuel Macron said France is preparing a “defensive" mission but only after the “hottest phase" of the conflict ends.

Canada: Explicitly and officially declined to oblige the request.

Germany: Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul signalled Germany would stay out of the conflict, stating clearly, “no" to active participation.

China: Has not formally committed. A spokesperson called for a cessation of hostilities and stressed that all parties have a responsibility to ensure stable energy supplies. Trump has threatened to delay his scheduled visit to Beijing later this month if China does not offer support.

South Korea: Stated it will “closely coordinate and carefully review" the situation but has not yet committed forces.

Beyond military demands, the Trump administration has introduced aggressive economic measures affecting foreign shipping. A proposal to levy fees of $1 million to $1.5 million per vessel on Chinese-built ships entering U.S. ports to spur domestic shipbuilding. Following a Supreme Court ruling striking down earlier measures, Trump imposed a 10% (potentially rising to 15%) universal tariff on all imports, citing a balance-of-payments emergency.

Americans may not trust the administration’s timeline

Political factors inside Iran also make it hard to pin down a timeline for ending the war.

The pace of Iranian drone attacks on Gulf states allied with the US has slowed — proof perhaps that US and Israeli raids are degrading Tehran’s offensive capabilities. But projectiles still rained down on Baghdad airport and Israel on Sunday.

There’s also no sign of a diplomatic off-ramp. There’s no “deal" in sight, and Trump’s demands for an unconditional surrender have fallen on deaf ears. The anointing of new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei signalled the regime intends to renew its decades of resistance to Washington.

There’s also no public sign of the regime’s grip loosening. Trump opened the war by telling Iranians he was giving them a once-in-a-lifetime chance to throw off repression. But no uprising has yet occurred in a nation where thousands of protesters were recently gunned down by the authorities.

The overthrow of the government would represent a huge win for the Iranian people and would provide Trump with a genuine legacy achievement. Many Iran analysts, however, worry that a collapse of central authority could lead to sectarian or civil strife and an implosion of the Iranian state. Such an outcome might bog down US forces in the region for years to come — or leave allies facing massive security problems. The war between the US, Israeli and the Iranian governments might ostensibly end. But the international crisis it precipitated might get a lot worse, said the report.

With CNN, agency inputs

News explainers If Trump Has ‘Won Iran War’, Then Why Does He Need Foreign Ships To End It? 3 Reasons Explained

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