President Trump stated in a phone interview that he is in no rush to decide whether to resume military operations against Iran, keeping open both diplomatic and military avenues as the U.S. weighs its next steps.
While the upcoming midterm elections had been viewed by observers as a potential turning point for whether the administration would launch a major bombing campaign to conclude the conflict, the president appears committed for now to a dual-track strategy. This approach allows negotiations to unfold while maintaining preparations for renewed hostilities should diplomacy fail.
“One way or the other, we will do something, but there is no rush. We crippled them financially. They have no money, no gasoline and their people are getting very tired of it,” Trump said in the interview.
Diplomatic efforts have gained traction through Qatari intermediaries, who have drafted a three-day sequence of confidence-building measures designed to restart direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran, according to regional sources. A diplomat familiar with the discussions indicated that mediators are currently awaiting formal feedback from both the United States and Iran.
While giving negotiations an opportunity to succeed, Trump expressed wariness about the pace and sincerity of the Iranian side. “We are talking to them. It’s going fine. The problem with them is … they try and tap tap tap [us along]. There’s less urgency [on the Iranian side] than you think there would be, but they want to make deal more than they ever wanted,” he remarked.
Inside the administration, the president’s inner circle is divided among three distinct strategic paths, according to sources. Vice President JD Vance and special envoy Steve Witkoff are advocating for a negotiated settlement, arguing that a renewed military campaign might not fundamentally alter the strategic landscape for the better—a view largely shared by most Gulf nations.
Conversely, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth are pushing to resume combat operations. This faction contends that Tehran cannot be trusted to negotiate in good faith or comply with an agreement, and that the U.S. should complete its military objectives.
A third faction, consisting of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, favors maintaining the existing economic pressure campaign without pursuing immediate war or a deal. According to a source with direct knowledge of the discussions, Ratcliffe advised Trump that prolonged economic hardship could compel Iran to offer deeper concessions or trigger domestic instability leading to a popular revolt. The CIA declined to comment on these internal deliberations.
Meanwhile, civilian leadership in Tehran signaled optimism on Monday regarding diplomatic prospects. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had granted the government specific authorities to pursue an accord through diplomatic channels.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi noted that diplomatic contacts had intensified significantly. Qatar and Pakistan are actively mediating, Araghchi said, adding that Tehran has presented its own conditions and proposals while conditioning further progress on Washington’s approach.
“If they choose genuine diplomacy, we are ready to engage. But if they intend to engage in deception and military operations, they will face a response more painful and severe than in the past,” Araghchi stated. He specified that negotiations would restart if the U.S. accepts Tehran’s conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, warning that otherwise the current standoff would persist.
International powers are also exerting influence on the diplomatic process. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with Gen. Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and a close ally of the Supreme Leader, to discuss diplomatic efforts. Rezaei recently received a letter from Vice President Vance proposing the resumption of talks, and Moscow has offered to participate in any nuclear agreement by taking custody of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile.
Simultaneously, Rezaei’s deputy traveled to Beijing on Monday to meet with the Chinese foreign minister, as China continues to press both Washington and Tehran to return to direct negotiations.
