WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump on Thursday reiterated the four-to-six-week timeframe he claimed to have set at the outset of the war against Iran, which is now in its fourth week with no clear end in sight.

"We estimated it would take approximately four to six weeks to achieve our mission, and we're way ahead of schedule," Trump said during a meeting at the White House.

"If you look at what we've done in terms of the destruction of that country, I mean, we're way ahead," Trump said. "Twenty-six days in, we're extremely, really, a lot ahead of schedule."

Meanwhile, Trump dismissed reports that he was eager to end the war through diplomacy, saying it was Iran that had moved to restart talks and that it is up to Iran to convince him to stop the strikes.

"They are begging to work out a deal," Trump claimed.

Trump has told associates that he wants the war to be brought to an end in the coming weeks, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

A CNN report said Wednesday that the White House was working to arrange a meeting in Pakistan this weekend to discuss an off-ramp to end the war.

The United States and Israel began large-scale airstrikes on Iran on Feb 28, disrupting global shipping, sending oil prices soaring and shaking the global economy.