‘We took the head off the snake’: US to enter ‘new phase’ in Iran war very soon, says Speaker Mike Johnson

The war with Iran is expected to enter “a new phase” very soon, said Mike Johnson, the speaker of the US House of Representatives, on Sunday, adding that he believes the allied nations will also assist this time.

“I think we’re going to get into a new phase here very soon. I believe our allied nations are going to assist in the next phase, and we’ll get this finished,” Johnson said in an interview on Fox News on Sunday.

He claimed that President Donald Trump managed to prevent Iran from possessing nuclear weapons, which was “a goal for all previous administrations”.

“We had to make sure the largest state sponsor of terrorism does not have a nuclear weapon. That was an objective of every administration for the last 50 years. Donald Trump did it,” Johnson said, adding that oil was continuing to move through the Strait of Hormuz. He also described mistrust of Tehran during negotiations as a challenge.

Johnson said. “You can’t trust the Iranians on the other side of the negotiating table. That’s the challenge.”

‘Republican Party will retain control of the chamber’

Johnson also said that he is confident that his Republican Party will retain control of the chamber despite the unpopularity of the war on Iran.

Asked by Fox News whether Republicans could win in the midterm elections in November if the conflict is still ongoing, Johnson said, “Absolutely”.

However, he added that “it would be helpful to get that thing resolved” before the vote on November 3.

Johnson’s comments come at a time when there is increased public frustration with the war, which has led to a spike in oil prices and fuelled inflation in the US.

The House speaker, a close ally of President Trump, said Republicans will win even if the war is not finished by November.

“People know we took the head off the snake,” Johnson said of Iran. “We had to make sure the largest state sponsor of terrorism did not have a nuclear weapon.”

The Trump administration argues that attacking Iran was to ensure that the country could not obtain a nuclear bomb.

Opinion polls suggest most voters want fighting to end

Numerous public opinion polls have suggested that most voters, including a significant portion of Republicans, want the fighting to end.

US and Israeli forces attacked Iran on February 28, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several other top officials.

Iran retaliated by closing down the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for the global energy trade, and firing drones and missiles at US bases across the Middle East.

Since an initial ceasefire was announced in April, the conflict has seen multiple rounds of fighting and sporadic attacks.

The fighting has largely subsided over the past few weeks, but Trump has announced “crushing” economic measures against Tehran as the global economy braces for intense sanctions on Iran and countries that do business with it.

Sporadic incidents threaten the fragile ceasefire in place

There is a fragile ceasefire between the US, Israel, and Iran, which has been marked by renewed tensions, particularly in the maritime domain. Any likely involvement of additional allied support could indicate a major shift from diplomatic efforts to potential escalation.

Iran remains defiant, asserting it will not give up control of the Strait of Hormuz, the closure of which has sent oil and gas prices soaring around the world, including in the US, where one gallon (3.8 litres) of petrol now costs over $4, up from less than $3 before the war.

Johnson also underscored the supposedly increased flow of oil through Hormuz.

“We’re getting the job done step by step,” the House speaker told Fox News.