The escalating standoff between the United States and Iran has entered a tense new chapter, with the two nations trading sharp military threats even as fragile, Pakistan-mediated diplomatic efforts continue to search for a path to peace. In a dramatic announcement from the White House on Tuesday, former President Donald Trump revealed he had halted a planned major US military strike against Iran just one hour before it was set to launch, and warned that new attacks could resume within days if no deal is reached.
The conflict between the two nations, which first erupted on February 28, has been in a fragile ceasefire since April 8. Trump told reporters that he agreed to delay the assault at the request of Gulf regional leaders, who told him serious negotiations were already underway. “You know how it is to negotiate with a country where you’re beating them badly. They come to the table, they’re begging to make a deal,” Trump said. He added that he remains hopeful a new conflict can be avoided, but did not rule out a major new strike: “I hope we don’t have to do the war, but we may have to give them another big hit. I’m not sure yet.”
Trump set a loose deadline of two to three days, potentially stretching into early next week, for parties to reach an agreement, and said he has ordered the US military to remain on standby for a full-scale large-scale assault if talks collapse. The US leader has repeatedly signaled he wants to exit the conflict, which has become a significant political liability. Iran’s continued control of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical global energy chokepoints, has sent oil prices soaring, raising costs for American consumers and roiling global energy markets.
Iran quickly hit back at Trump’s threats. Army spokesperson Mohammad Akraminia warned that if the US resumes offensive military action, Iran will open “new fronts” against American interests across the region. Akraminia added that Iran’s military has used the weeks-long ceasefire period to significantly strengthen its combat capabilities. Senior Iranian diplomat Kazem Gharibabadi dismissed Trump’s framing on social media platform X, writing that the US leader was absurdly “calling a ‘threat’ a ‘chance for peace’.”
Thus far, only one round of negotiations has been held between Tehran and Washington since the ceasefire went into effect, and it ended without any breakthrough agreement. Iran has repeatedly rejected US terms, while maintaining its core demands: the full release of billions of dollars in Iranian assets frozen overseas, the permanent lifting of decades-long US economic sanctions, and payment of war reparations for damage inflicted during the conflict.
Details of the latest US proposal, released by Iranian state media, show deep divides remain between the two sides. Iran’s Fars news agency described the US offer as having “excessive” terms and containing no meaningful US concessions. The five-point US draft includes demands that Iran shutter all but one of its nuclear facilities and transfer its entire stockpile of highly enriched uranium to US control, while refusing to release even 25 percent of frozen Iranian assets or commit to any war reparations, the report said. However, Iranian news outlet Tasnim later reported that the US did make one small concession: agreeing to waive oil sanctions on Iran while formal negotiations are ongoing.
The rising tensions have spilled over to other nations in the Persian Gulf. The United Arab Emirates’ defense ministry confirmed Tuesday that a recent drone attack on the country’s Barakah nuclear power plant, carried out on May 17, 2026, was launched from Iraqi territory. Senior Emirati officials have previously pointed to Iran or its regional proxy groups, which Tehran supports and have launched repeated attacks on Gulf states throughout the conflict, as the culprits. Iran has also ramped up other regional military pressure: the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran’s ideological military arm, announced Monday it would require permits for all international fiber-optic internet cables that pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a move that could disrupt global digital communications. The IRGC also said it struck US- and Israel-linked militant groups in Iran’s Kurdistan province near the Iraqi border, claiming the groups were attempting to smuggle American weapons into Iranian territory.
Qatar, another major target of Iranian military action during the conflict, has called for more time for diplomatic efforts. Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said Doha believes that the Pakistani-mediated negotiation process needs additional time to make progress. Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei has confirmed that indirect talks between Tehran and Washington are continuing through Pakistan as a mediator, and said Iran has clearly communicated its core concerns to the US side.
Despite the mutual threats, both sides have left the door open to continued talks, leaving the region in a tense waiting game as the Trump deadline approaches.