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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World
Nicholas Riccardi

Trump's mixed messages on Iran: 'Winding down' the war and easing sanctions but adding more troops

APTOPIX Trump - (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

President Donald Trump frequently contradicts himself, sometimes in the same speech, social media post or even sentence. In the past 24 hours, he sent a torrent of mixed signals about the Iran war that raise more questions about the direction of the conflict and his administration's strategy.

Within the space of a few hours Friday, Trump said he was considering winding down the war, his administration confirmed it was sending more troops to the Middle East and, in an effort to lessen the economic impact on global energy markets, the United States lifted sanctions on some Iranian oil for the first time in decades — relieving some of the pressure that Washington traditionally has used as leverage.

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