In a press briefing from the White House, President Donald Trump stated that military action against Iran is "highly unlikely," and suggested the United States was maintaining a "status quo" stance while remaining "locked and loaded" should circumstances change. The president's remarks come in the wake of positive momentum reported in negotiations aimed at resolving the Middle East conflict, with neighboring countries reportedly encouraging the US to keep the peace. Trump's comments follow a bruising set of midterm election results for Republicans, which some senior officials have attributed to the Iran war. Last week, the president announced "minor strikes" on an Iranian island in the Strait of Hormuz, but in a recent 60 Minutes interview, he stated that there is currently no reason to escalate the conflict further. The president also emphasized the need to protect US allies from potential Iranian aggression and suggested that the ongoing naval blockade on Iranian ports was helping secure the region. Global oil prices dipped after Trump's comments, with Brent crude falling more than 1% to $91.50 (£52) and US-traded dropping by 1.2% to $85.82. Trump met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani on Monday, reporting an "excellent conversation" about ending the war. The Qatari leader subsequently posted on social media that he and Trump had positive discussions about reaching a deal to bring peace to the region. Negotiations between Washington and Tehran have been largely held indirectly through mediators since the conflict began in February, with Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates among the US's Gulf allies hit by Iranian strikes over the course of the war. Post-election recriminations over the US war in Iran are already placing pressure on members of Trump's administration, with Republican congressman Thomas Massie launching an impeachment effort against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Trump has expressed support for Hegseth, who says he is "not worried" about looming impeachment threats. While the move is unlikely to succeed before January, Democrats have expressed a willingness to pursue impeachment once they control both the House and Senate in the new session.