President Donald Trump said Thursday he does not plan to deploy ground troops to Iran, countering an anonymously sourced Reuters report suggesting U.S. forces might be sent to the region. Trump made the remarks during a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae in the Oval Office.

When asked whether he intended to lift sanctions on Iranian oil or increase troop presence, Trump responded, “No, I’m not putting troops anywhere. If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you, but I’m not putting troops.” The Reuters report had claimed that options under consideration included securing safe passage for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, which could potentially involve deploying troops along Iran’s shoreline.

Trump emphasized that the economy remains strong, noting the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit 50,000 and the S&P 500 reached 7,000 before recent tensions with Iran. He said the limited U.S. action in the region, which he described as an “excursion,” was intended to address Iran’s threat without disrupting oil prices or the economy.

“The goal was to put out that fire,” Trump said, calling Iran “a serious threat to the world, to the Middle East, and to the world.” He expressed confidence that the situation would be resolved quickly and that global leaders, including Prime Minister Takaichi, agreed with his approach.