US President Donald Trump has warned that he is prepared to order “very strong military action” against Iran if an emerging diplomatic track fails to produce a breakthrough, even as Washington temporarily halts planned strikes on Iranian targets.
Trump said he personally decided to pause a round of military operations to give negotiations “another opportunity,” describing the move as a calculated risk that left American leverage intact. “Nothing gained, nothing lost,” he said, insisting that the United States could rapidly resume operations if talks stall.
The diplomatic push is focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz to full commercial traffic and laying the groundwork for a broader nuclear agreement. Oman is serving as the primary intermediary with Tehran, while Qatar, Pakistan, Egypt, and other regional players are engaged in parallel consultations. Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are also involved in the back-channel efforts.
“We are in very deep talks with Iran. If they don’t work out, we will go back to very strong military action,” Trump said, underscoring that the window for diplomacy is narrow. Asked how long he is willing to wait, he replied, “Not much time. Either it goes fast or not at all.”
According to US officials, commanders were instructed for the first time in two weeks to hold fire on a series of planned strikes against Iranian assets along the country’s southern coast and around the Strait of Hormuz. The order followed a high-level briefing in which updated strike options were presented and weighed against the potential for diplomatic progress.
Regional sources say Oman-mediated talks have produced “noticeable progress” but no final accord. Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi has held intensive consultations with counterparts in Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Egypt on a framework to guarantee maritime safety in the Strait of Hormuz.
One proposal would allow coastal states, including Iran and Oman, to collect regulated service fees from commercial shipping to fund maritime security and environmental protection, echoing arrangements in the Strait of Malacca. Another option would channel revenues into a joint fund overseen with participation from the International Maritime Organization.
Trump is also preparing to brief Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, saying he will emphasize his belief that without his administration’s pressure campaign, “Iran would have had nuclear weapons by now and Israel would have been destroyed.”
