US President Donald Trump has said Washington is prepared to launch further attacks on Tehran if a peace deal is not reached, while indicating he is willing to wait “a few days” for negotiations to progress.
Read More: Iran, US negotiations reach decisive final stage
Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday, Trump said the situation with Iran remained highly sensitive and could escalate rapidly if talks failed to deliver results. He warned that the United States was ready to act quickly if it did not receive what he described as the “right answers” from Tehran.
Trump said he is willing to wait a few days for the “right answers to avoid war and save lives. He praised the current Iranian negotiators.pic.twitter.com/Gx3D89teM6
— Neelotpal Srivastav (@NS_Neelotpal) May 20, 2026
The remarks come six weeks after Trump paused Operation Epic Fury under a ceasefire arrangement aimed at opening the door for diplomacy. However, negotiations have shown limited progress, while rising global oil prices continue to place political pressure on the US administration ahead of congressional elections later this year.
Iran responded with strong warnings against any renewed military action. The Revolutionary Guards said further aggression could trigger a wider regional conflict. Tehran also announced the establishment of a new authority to regulate shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit routes.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran remained open to negotiations but rejected any attempts to force surrender through pressure. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei added that Iran was pursuing talks seriously, although it remained suspicious of Washington’s intentions.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts continue through Pakistan, which hosted earlier peace talks and is currently facilitating communication between both sides. Trump also held discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who expressed hope that a reasonable settlement could still be achieved.
Read More: Trump says US may attack Iran again but that Tehran wants deal
Oil markets reacted positively to renewed hopes of diplomacy, with Brent crude prices falling more than five per cent on Wednesday.