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Axios journalist Barak Ravid reported that the administration is weighing both diplomatic and military options in real time as the situation intensifies.
“U.S. officials say President Trump wants a deal to end the war, but is considering resuming it due to Iran’s rejection of many of his demands and refusal to make meaningful concessions on its nuclear program,” Ravid reported, citing U.S. officials.
President Trump, meanwhile, has sharpened his public messaging in recent days, signaling growing impatience with Tehran’s negotiating stance. Over the weekend, he issued a stark warning that appeared aimed at pressuring Iranian leadership to act quickly.
“The clock is ticking,” Trump warned Sunday, adding that if Iran fails to reach an agreement “there won’t be anything left of them” if they don’t do so “FAST.”
Behind the scenes, Axios reported that the White House is actively preparing for high-level deliberations. Trump is expected to meet with senior national security officials inside the Situation Room to evaluate next steps, including whether to escalate military pressure or give diplomacy additional time.
The same Axios report described a particularly blunt assessment from a senior U.S. official regarding the trajectory of negotiations, suggesting that the window for a peaceful resolution may be closing rapidly.
“The senior U.S. official said that if Iran doesn’t shift its position, the U.S. will have to continue the negotiations ‘through bombs.’”
The latest Iranian counterproposal, according to Axios, was delivered to U.S. officials through Pakistani intermediaries late Sunday. However, American officials reportedly viewed the revisions as largely superficial and insufficient to address core concerns surrounding Iran’s nuclear program.
“The senior U.S. official described the changes as minimal, saying the new version included ‘only token improvements on the last version.’”
Despite the lack of progress, U.S. officials emphasized that diplomatic channels remain open, though expectations for a breakthrough appear to be diminishing.
“We are really not making a lot of progress. We are at a very serious place today. The pressure is on them to be responsive in the right way,” the senior U.S. official told Ravid.
The administration’s frustration was echoed further in comments urging Tehran to engage more seriously and move beyond what Washington views as symbolic gestures rather than substantive concessions.
“It’s time for the Iranians to throw bit of candy out. We need some real, sturdy, and granular conversation [regarding the nuclear program]. If that’s not gonna happen, we will have a conversation through bombs, which will be a shame,” Axios quoted the source as adding.
As diplomatic efforts stall and military options remain on the table, the coming days are expected to be critical in determining whether the standoff moves toward renewed negotiations—or escalates into a broader confrontation with global consequences.
