After multiple tough talks, threats, and military action, President Trump continues to struggle in gaining any significant concessions from Iran. The White House insists on a deal favoring US interests, while the international shipping lane through the Strait of Hormuz remains under Iranian control.
President Donald Trump walks down the stairs of Air Force One upon his arrival at Joint Base Andrews, Md. , Friday, May 15, 2026.
, but he appears to have hit a wall with Iran as his tough talk, threats and even military action have not moved Tehran from its long-established positions.that make it difficult to judge the status of the U.S. effort, Trump and his top aides have insisted the United States has already won the war and that Iran is ready to reach an agreement in the wake of, saying Monday that he had put plans for an imminent resumption of attacks on hold at the request of Gulf Arab states because “serious negotiations are now taking place, and that, in their opinion, as Great Leaders and Allies, a Deal will be made, which will be very acceptable to the United States of America, as well as all Countries in the Middle East, and beyond.
” Although he said he had called off strikes planned for Tuesday, Trump kept up the bravado, saying he told military leaders “to be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice, in the event that an acceptable Deal is not reached. ” Trump has repeatedly set deadlines for Tehran and— many of which it has long rejected. In fact, it has dug in.
That has left Trump’s stated top objectives unrealized: Iran has yet to agree to abandonor its ballistic missile development, or cease support for its proxies in the region, including those in Gaza, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen. The White House on Monday defended the president's approach, saying, “Trump's preference is always peace and diplomacy” but he will only accept a deal that puts America first.
“President Trump holds all the cards and wisely keeps all options on the table to ensure that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” spokesperson Olivia Wales said in a statement to The Associated Press. Crucially, Iran still has a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, the vital shipping lane for global oil supplies, even as the U.S. military has enforced its own blockade on Iranian ports.
TheTrump's playbook of turning up the pressure — economically and militarily — to bend foreign governments to his will is not playing out in Iran as it has in Venezuela, Cuba and elsewhere. For all of Trump’s rhetoric, Iran has been unwilling to accept limitations on any of its policies that amount to more than what it conceded during the negotiations for a nuclear deal with world powers during the Obama administration.
Trump called it the “worst ever” agreement negotiated by the U.S. and pulled out of it in his first term in 2018. Since a fragile truce in the war went into effect last month, Trump has lashed out over the slow pace of negotiations to reach a permanent deal.
“For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them,” Trump posted on social media Sunday shortly after a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Iranian response was quick.
“Our armed forces’ fingers are on the trigger, while diplomacy is also continuing,” Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, said on state television. Ali Vaez, Iran director at the International Crisis Group who has watched years of fruitless diplomacy between Washington and Tehran, said the longtime adversaries do not see themselves as being defeated by the latest conflict.
“Since the ceasefire took effect, both Washington and Tehran seem to be working on the assumption that time acts in their favor: Each believes that the blockade and counter-blockade in the Strait of Hormuz raises the costs for the other side, while giving a reprieve to prepare for a potential resumption of hostilities,” Vaez said. Despite the impact of America's economic pressure campaign, Iranian officials have not reached the pain threshold “to the point of accepting what it perceives as capitulatory demands,” he said.
David Schenker, a former assistant secretary of state for the Middle East in Trump’s first administration who is currently at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, described the current situation as “a stalemate. ” He said Trump likely has “misgivings” about returning to full-on military conflict, especially because of Gulf Arab anxieties about Iranian retaliation and the volatility in the energy markets, with its political implications in the U.S. Rich Goldberg, an Iran hawk and former National Security Council official in both of Trump’s administrations who is now with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank, insisted that Trump is still operating from a position of strength, including with the Strait of Hormuz.
Goldberg, who has a special interest in American energy dominance, said that while reopening the strait would ease the “pain at the pump” felt by many Americans, it was not critical.
“The short-term pain at the pump is distracting people from U.S. overall energy dominance,” he said. “This is not a permanent crisis. ” Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Jacksonville IRONMAN Triathlon begins Saturday; US Coast Guard says there will be increased securityBrysen Wright with the endzone look in spring… saving the real magic for the seasonWhen Hicks Zarah gets downhill… it’s over for whoever’s in the way 🛑 #Varsity4Battle over beer brewing: Hastings church appeals pizza restaurant’s alcohol approvalWhen Kyree Wilson gets the ball in space… it’s a wrap 😤'Erased is a good one': Jaguars rookie WR Josh Cameron dishes on his favorite hobby: animePhase III water limits hit homeowners across Northeast FloridaCity of Jacksonville shares details, gathers input on next phase of Riverfront PlazaHold up wait a minute, I'm about to put some green in it!
Fatal road rage shooting of Jacksonville musician Joe Starkey was justified under Florida law: SAO
President Donald Trump Iran Nuclear Deal Middle East Strait Of Hormuz Military Action Negotiations Tough Talk Threats Deal Favoring US Interests
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
President Trump Does Not Meet Xi Jinping in China, Is Greeted by Vice President Han ZhengThe relationship between President Trump and President Xi Jinping has been tense throughout the latter's tenure. The news reports that Trump did not meet with President Xi Jinping in China but was instead greeted by Vice President Han Zheng has led to criticism and amusement among the US public.
Read more »
US President Trump Posts Bizarre AI-Generated War Pictures, Warns Iran on Truth SocialPresident Trump, on his Truth Social platform, shared several AI-generated images that depict him on a warship amidst a sea storm. The pictures also show the President menacingly pressing a red button from a control room in outer space and lasering an Iranian plane. The content of the post is perceived as a threatening message directed at Iran, raising fears that he may resume strikes if the conflict isn't resolved. The post also highlights the tense situation between the US and Iran and the recent offer by Iran to negotiate an end to the conflict.
Read more »
US President Trump Shares AI-Generated War Pictures, Warns Iran, and Jabs at PredecessorsUS President Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform over the weekend to post a series of bizarre AI-generated war pictures as he issued a fresh warning to Iran while peace talks stalled. He shared several AI-generated images, including one that shows him on a warship pointing toward the camera amid a sea storm. The dramatic scene features warships and lightning, with one vessel visibly bearing the Iranian flag. Standing by his side is a US naval commander, and the image is captioned: 'It was the calm before the storm.' Another image shows the President menacingly pressing a red button from a control room in outer space while surrounded by screens showing explosions. The picture is captioned 'Space Force.' One picture shows a US warship lasering an Iranian plane and is captioned, 'Lasers: bing, bing, gone!!!', while a separate post features a US flag covering the Middle East with arrows targeting Iran. And in a clear jab at his predecessors, Trump shared an image showing an intact Iranian fleet under the label 'Obama/Biden' beside another image of those same ships destroyed at the bottom of the ocean, titled 'Trump.'
Read more »
President Trump holds off on Iran attack, 'serious negotiations' in placePresident Donald Trump announced on Monday he is holding off a 'scheduled attack' on Iran that was planned for Tuesday. Meanwhile, 'seriouls negoitaions' are in
Read more »