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US President Donald Trump has privately told aides that he would consider ending the ceasefire with Iran if Tehran becomes responsible for the deaths of American troops, according to US officials cited by the Wall Street Journal.
The officials said Trump has made clear the "weekslong pause" in airstrikes remains in effect despite ongoing "violent skirmishes" and tensions in the region. According to the news report, the president's position indicates a reluctance to reignite broader military conflict with Iran, even as clashes continue. Officials suggested Trump may be prepared to tolerate "smaller flare-ups for weeks--or even months" rather than risk a wider war in West Asia. Meanwhile, the ongoing diplomatic engagements between the United States and Iran have hit a severe impasse following Tehran's rigid demand for the immediate unfreezing of capital at the very start of the process. According to a report by The Jerusalem Post, the diplomatic deadlock stems from Iran's insistence on the release of "liquid cash" from the billions of dollars in frozen assets, already in the very first phase of the agreement. This gridlock has emerged despite intense backchannel diplomacy aimed at breaking the geopolitical stalemate. Two sources familiar with the developments informed The Jerusalem Post that international intermediaries have spent recent days attempting to broker a compromise on the contentious issue. However, these diplomatic interventions have yielded little progress, as the Iranian negotiators have refused to budge and continue to demand the release of the funds in Phase A as part of the framework agreement, even before taking any concrete steps on the ground. This uncompromising stance from Tehran has met with a stonewall response from Washington, which refuses to offer upfront financial concessions. Senior US officials remain firm that the US will not unfreeze any funds at the outset without a significant Iranian move on the nuclear issue and the Strait of Hormuz. Despite this deep, fundamental disagreement over the immediate unfreezing of frozen assets, US President Donald Trump announced that diplomatic negotiations with Iran are progressing positively, though he cautioned that a final agreement remains uncertain. Concurrently, Trump declared Washington's intention to take possession of Iran's enriched uranium. Speaking at the White House, the US President described the ongoing discussions with Tehran as going "very well", though he acknowledged there was no guarantee of success. "It might not happen, you know? Who knows," Trump remarked regarding a potential pact, before adding, "But if it happens, it could happen over the weekend." He further noted, "Anything can happen when you're dealing with Iran." Turning to maritime security, which remains a key sticking point in the diplomatic deadlock, Trump asserted that the strategic Strait of Hormuz would reopen "immediately upon signing" a memorandum of understanding with Iran, expressing total confidence that maritime traffic through the vital waterway would resume swiftly. "It will open up quickly," Trump said of the transport route, adding, "We've already had our mine sweepers there." When questioned about Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium, Trump reiterated a firm desire to secure the material, arguing that only the United States and China possessed the necessary capabilities to handle it. "I want to get it," Trump stated, before asserting, "We will go get it." Additionally, the US House of Representatives has passed a Democratic-led resolution aimed at halting the conflict with Iran until the legislature formally sanctions military action. The lower chamber approved the resolution on Wednesday to curb President Donald Trump's military authority regarding Iran, delivering a sharp rebuke to the administration's management of the hostilities. CNN reported that the narrow 215-208 vote succeeded after Republican Representatives Thomas Massie, Brian Fitzpatrick, Tom Barrett, and Warren Davidson crossed party lines to back the measure. This shift follows repeated efforts by Democrats to restrict Trump's war powers across both congressional chambers, a movement that has increasingly garnered Republican backing. (ANI)
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