President Donald Trump stated that there is a possibility of reaching an agreement with Iran. However, he continued to pressure for a resolution, warning that military action against Iran would resume if negotiations fail.
"Plenty of Time" Yet Urges Quick Resolution
On July 27, while en route to Michigan on Air Force One, Trump told reporters, "Iran wants to meet, and we are currently meeting. We are having good conversations."
He added, "I think there is quite a possibility that something will happen," stating that a successful agreement would be beneficial, but if not, the U.S. could revert to its previous military actions against Iran. This implies a potential resumption of airstrikes if negotiations fail.
When asked how long he would allow for negotiations, Trump responded, "I have a lot of patience," asserting that "there is plenty of time." He also claimed that Iran had requested talks with the U.S. both through intermediaries and directly.
However, in a separate interview with Axios released the same day, he stated, "There is not much time," pressing for a swift agreement.
Trump emphasized that the U.S. is engaged in "very deep negotiations" with Iran, but insisted, "It will either happen quickly or not at all." He warned that if negotiations do not yield results, he would return to "very strong military action." This dual messaging suggests an attempt to keep the door open for negotiations while warning Iran of potential military consequences to encourage concessions.
Iran, however, denied Trump's claim of having requested direct negotiations.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated, "The mediating country is conveying messages from the U.S. side, but we are not negotiating directly with the U.S."
Qatar and Pakistan are mediating indirect negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, discussing ways to revive a collapsed interim agreement. Oman is also working on ensuring safe passage for vessels through the Hormuz Strait.
Current mediation efforts are reportedly focused more on maintaining a ceasefire between the two sides and normalizing shipping through the Hormuz Strait than on a comprehensive agreement regarding Iran's nuclear issues.
Direct Attacks Halted, but Tensions in Hormuz Persist
Meanwhile, the U.S. has halted airstrikes in response to Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Hormuz Strait and assaults on U.S. military bases in the Middle East, which had been ongoing for about two weeks. Iran also ceased direct attacks on the U.S. while the airstrikes were paused, resulting in three days without direct exchanges of fire between the two sides.
However, regional conflicts continue. Saudi Arabia reported that it intercepted drones launched by Iran-backed Iraqi militias targeting its oil facilities. The Houthi rebels in Yemen also claimed to have attacked Saudi oil facilities, and drone attacks have been reported in Jordan and Iraq.
Shipping conditions in the Hormuz Strait have not yet normalized. While Trump described the situation in the strait as "very good," Iran maintains that it still controls the strait, asserting, "The strait is still closed." The volume of commercial shipping has reportedly dropped to its lowest level in the past three weeks.
There are also speculations that the U.S. may conduct limited ground operations in Iran in preparation for a potential breakdown in negotiations.
According to a report by dpa, citing Pakistani intelligence officials, "There is a possibility that President Trump may order limited ground operations in Iran."
These officials analyzed that the U.S. might seek to seize parts of the Iranian coastline to disrupt connections between southern coastal areas and the interior before reaching a relatively long-lasting peace agreement.
However, the possibility of limited ground operations is merely the analysis of Pakistani intelligence officials, and the U.S. government or military has not officially confirmed any operational plans.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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