Rep. Mark Harris, R-N.C., told Newsmax on Wednesday that reports from Iran's Ministry of Intelligence signaled openness to talks with the CIA to end the fighting with U.S. and Israeli forces could represent progress toward de-escalation.
He also said that President Donald Trump was determined to end the conflict without deploying American ground troops.
On "Ed Henry: The Big Take," Harris said it remains unclear whether the reported outreach reflected a genuine shift by Tehran.
"It could be. I don't know," Harris said of the reports.
He noted that Trump has publicly urged Iranian forces, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, to stand down.
"The president made it clear to them, calling on the Revolutionary Guard, calling on those to lay down their arms and to step up, and that they would somehow be able to move forward.
"I think that's important."
Harris said the administration's priority is ending the conflict as quickly as possible while avoiding a large U.S. troop presence in the region.
"We want that if it happens," he said.
Harris also referenced unconfirmed reports suggesting Kurdish forces in Iraq may be preparing to move into the conflict zone, though he cautioned that information remains preliminary.
"I heard some reports earlier today that maybe the Kurds, Iraqi Kurds, were coming in on the ground there," Harris said. "I don't know. That's just some early reports I've heard."
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the intelligence reports, Harris said the overarching goal is to bring the fighting to an end swiftly while ensuring the United States and its allies achieve their strategic objectives.
"Bottom line is we want to see this conflict come to an end as quickly as possible, but we want to finish the job," he said.
Harris praised Trump's approach to the crisis, arguing that the president is seeking peace while maintaining a strong military posture to ensure a decisive outcome.
"That's what makes President Trump such a powerful leader," Harris said.
"He wants to see peace. He wants to bring peace.
"But at the same time, he's got the determination, he's got the will, and he's obviously got the strongest military in the world backing him up to make sure that we finish the job."
Harris also pointed to key members of the administration's national security team, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and retired Air Force Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine, saying their leadership is critical as the U.S. navigates the conflict.
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Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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