US President Donald Trump has expressed profound dissatisfaction with the progress of diplomatic efforts to end the conflict with Iran, signaling that the United States may soon pivot back to active combat operations.
According to sources within the administration cited by CNN on Monday, the President’s patience has worn thin due to Tehran’s refusal to provide meaningful concessions.
The shift in tone follows what Trump has characterized as a series of "unacceptable" and "stupid" counterproposals from the Iranian leadership. With the Strait of Hormuz remaining largely impassable and nuclear talks at a standstill, the military option has reportedly moved back to the center of White House strategy.
A primary driver of the President's impatience is the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global energy supplies. While a fragile ceasefire has been in place for over a month, the persistent maritime blockade and internal divisions within the Iranian regime have prevented a definitive resolution.
Administration officials quoted in the report noted that the President perceives the current Iranian negotiating position as a sign of weakness and indecision rather than a serious attempt at peace.
"They think I'll get tired, or get bored, or I'll have some pressure," Trump told reporters on Monday. "There's no pressure at all. We're going to have a complete victory."
Inside the White House, advisers are reportedly split into competing camps regarding the next steps. One faction is advocating for a return to "Operation Epic Fury," the US air campaign, suggesting that targeted strikes against the remaining 25% of unhit strategic sites would force Tehran into submission.
Other officials remain cautious, urging the President to allow more time for diplomatic channels. However, there is growing skepticism regarding the role of Pakistani mediators. Some in Trump’s inner circle have questioned whether the Pakistanis are accurately conveying the President’s "displeasure" or if they are presenting a sanitized, overly optimistic version of the Iranian position to the State Department.
According to CNN, the President held an intensive meeting with his national security team on Monday to review potential contingencies. Options discussed reportedly include the revival of "Project Freedom," the naval mission to escort commercial vessels through the Gulf, and potential special forces operations to secure Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile.
While tensions are high, a final directive is not expected until after the President’s high-profile departure for China on Tuesday afternoon, according to the report.
The CNN report follows a Channel 12 News report from earlier on Monday, which stated that Trump is inclined to authorize a renewal of military operations against Iran in some capacity, following profound frustration with the regime's behavior at the negotiating table.
Earlier on Monday, Trump intensified his rhetoric towards Iran after it submitted a response to the US proposal to end the war which Trump said was unacceptable.
“Iran’s proposal is stupid. I didn’t even finish reading it. I had an amazing plan after Iran was defeated. They must understand that they will not have nuclear weapons. They are dangerous," Trump declared during an event at the White House.
He emphasized that “the ceasefire is very weak after the piece of garbage they sent us."
Meanwhile, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned on Monday that Iran’s military is “ready to deliver a well-deserved response to any aggression."
“Mistaken strategy and mistaken decisions will always lead to mistaken results. The whole world has already figured this out," he wrote in a post on social media.
“We are prepared for all options; they will be surprised," added Ghalibaf.
In a later post, the Iranian Speaker said that the only option is accepting the Iranian proposal to end the war.
“There is no alternative but to accept the rights of the Iranian people as laid out in the 14-point proposal. Any other approach will be completely inconclusive; nothing but one failure after another," he wrote.
“The longer they drag their feet, the more American taxpayers will pay for it," stated Ghalibaf.