17.05.2026 22:20
Concerns continue to grow over whether the parties in the Middle East crisis will re-enter war. US President Donald Trump stated that if Iran does not offer the US a better deal to end the war, it will be 'hit much harder.' The US press reported that Trump will meet with his national security team at the White House on Tuesday to evaluate potential military options.
Concerns continue to grow about whether the parties will re-enter conflict in the political and military crisis between the U.S. and Iran.
U.S. President Donald Trump made significant statements regarding the negotiation process with Iran in an exclusive interview with the U.S.-based news site Axios. Trump reiterated the phrase "time is running out for Iran" and said that if Iran does not present a better offer to Washington, it will be "hit much harder." Trump stated, "We want to make a deal. They are not at the point we want. They have to get there, otherwise they will be hit hard, and they don't want that."
"MILITARY OPTIONS BACK ON THE TABLE"
Axios also reported, citing two U.S. officials, that the possibility of war has resurfaced because Iran rejected a significant portion of Trump's demands regarding the nuclear program and did not make serious concessions. Officials said Trump wants to continue seeking compromise to reach a deal with Iran, but due to current developments, military options have been brought back to the table. In this context, it was claimed that Trump is expected to meet with his senior national security team in the White House Situation Room on Tuesday to evaluate potential military options.
TRUMP SPOKE WITH NETANYAHU
Sources also noted that Trump held a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in recent hours to assess the situation regarding Iran. It was also claimed that the U.S. president met behind closed doors with his national security team during a golf event in Virginia yesterday to discuss topics related to Iran. The meeting was said to include U.S. Vice President James David Vance, Trump's Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
"IRAN NEEDS TO MOVE VERY FAST, OTHERWISE NOTHING WILL BE LEFT OF THEM"
Meanwhile, in a recent post on his social media account, Trump said, "Time is running out for Iran, and they need to move very fast, otherwise nothing will be left of them. Time is very important."
"CALM BEFORE THE STORM" POST
Yesterday, Trump shared an AI-generated photo showing Iranian warships sailing in a stormy sea, captioning it, "This was the calm before the storm."
U.S. PRESENTS 5 CONDITIONS TO IRAN FOR NEGOTIATIONS
Meanwhile, reports in the Iranian press stated that the conditions presented by the U.S. include: no compensation payments to Iran, no release of Iran's blocked assets, only one nuclear facility remaining operational in Iran, 400 kilograms of enriched uranium being removed from Iran and delivered to the U.S., and negotiations on ending the war on all fronts.
The reports also claimed that even if these conditions are accepted, the threat of attack from the U.S. and Israel would continue, and experts described the U.S.-proposed plan as "an attempt to achieve goals through negotiations that it could not achieve during war."
IRAN ALSO HAS 5 CONDITIONS
The Iranian press also published the preconditions set by Iran for negotiations, alongside the conditions put forward by the U.S. The reports stated that Iran's precondition for starting any negotiations is the fulfillment of 5 confidence-building measures. According to this, it was noted that the Iranian government demands: the end of the war on all fronts, especially in Lebanon; the lifting of anti-Iran sanctions; the release of blocked Iranian assets; compensation for damages caused by the war; and the recognition of Iran's sovereign rights over the Strait of Hormuz.