President Trump delivered a blunt ultimatum to Iran: reach a nuclear deal or face renewed military strikes. The warning comes after months of US-Israeli military operations against Iranian targets and fragile negotiations that appear to be losing momentum.
Trump said negotiations are “proceeding nicely” but made clear that a return to armed conflict remains the default outcome if talks collapse. The core demands are straightforward: Iran must permanently abandon its nuclear weapons program and reopen the Strait of Hormuz to free navigation.
The Strait of Hormuz as a bargaining chip
Roughly 20% of the world’s oil passes through this narrow waterway between Iran and Oman.
Trump has framed the strait as a centerpiece of any potential agreement, promising that passage would be toll-free and that the waterway would reopen immediately upon a deal being struck. A proposed timeline floated during May 2026 negotiations suggested the strait would reopen within a month of any agreement.
