Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said on Monday that the Trump administration's war on Iran has been "effective and successful" but that officials need to come up with a plan to bring the conflict to a close.

"They do need a plan for how to wind this down, how to get an outcome that actually leads to a safer, more secure Middle East and, by extension, a stronger national security position for the United States," Thune told reporters after returning from a two-week recess.

Addressing Trump's blockade of vessels entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, Thune said that "penalizing those who do business with the Iranians may get people’s attention," including officials in China, which relies on energy in the region.

"That, probably more than anything else right now, is going to be the key issue to resolving the situation, getting the Iranians to the table," Thune said of talks that have thus far failed to lead to an agreement to end the conflict.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.