US President Donald Trump stated in an interview with the New York Post that Iran knows “what’s going to be happening soon" as the fragile ceasefire between the US and the Islamic Republic continues to fray.
Trump further stated that he is “not open" to further concessions to Iran following Iran's latest ceasefire proposal.
Earlier, in a post to Truth Social, Trump wrote: ""If Iran surrenders, admits their Navy is gone and resting at the bottom of the sea, and their Air Force is no longer with us, and if their entire Military walks out of Tehran, weapons dropped and hands held high, each shouting 'I surrender, I surrender' while wildly waving the representative White Flag, and if their entire remaining Leadership signs all necessary 'Documents of Surrender,' and admit their defeat to the great power and force of the magnificent USA, The Failing New York Times, The China Street Journal (WSJ!), Corrupt and now Irrelevant CNN, and all other members of the Fake News Media, will headline that Iran had a Masterful and Brilliant Victory over The United States of America, it wasn’t even close."
The interview and social media post come as Axios reported, citing a senior US official, that the White House believes that the Iranian proposal does not represent a meaningful improvement and remains insufficient to secure an agreement.
President Donald Trump is seeking a deal to end the conflict, but US officials are also weighing the possibility of renewed military action due to Iran’s refusal to meet key US demands regarding its nuclear program.
Two US officials told Axios that Trump is expected to convene senior national security officials in the Situation Room on Tuesday to discuss military options.
A senior US official quoted in the report said the updated Iranian proposal, which was conveyed to Washington through Pakistani mediation on Sunday night, contained only limited changes from previous versions.
The proposal reportedly includes broader language regarding Iran’s commitment not to pursue nuclear weapons, but does not include detailed commitments concerning uranium enrichment or Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
The report also said the US rejected claims in Iranian state media that Washington had agreed to sanctions relief during the talks. According to the official cited by Axios, the US position remains that sanctions relief would require reciprocal steps by Tehran.
“We are really not making a lot of progress. We are at a very serious place today," the senior US official said, according to the report.
Contacts between the United States and Iran are continuing through Pakistani mediation amid efforts to establish a diplomatic framework that could ease tensions between the sides.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that Washington had shown flexibility in discussions with Tehran, including regarding restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program. According to the official, the United States has agreed at this stage to unfreeze 25 percent of Iran’s frozen funds under a defined timetable.
The Iranian official said Tehran is demanding the release of all frozen assets, as well as a permanent end to the war, the lifting of sanctions, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Pakistani sources previously said the updated Iranian proposal included a commitment not to produce nuclear weapons, but did not address the issue of enriched uranium or developments surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.