U.S. President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is “very near” to a deal with Iran to end the recent conflict, according to Spiegel; the potential agreement could come before his scheduled trip to China. However, tensions remain high, with Iran rejecting U.S. demands as “excessive” and refusing to send a delegation to Pakistan for further talks, as reported by tagesschau.de.

Stalemate in Negotiations

Trump, in a Truth Social post, stated that Iran’s response to the U.S.-proposed end-of-war plan was “completely unacceptable.” The U.S. had previously rejected Iran’s demands as “totally unacceptable,” according to BBC. In response. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson. Esmail Bakaei. Said the country would “finalize its positions” and relay them to Pakistan, which is acting as a mediator, according to Spiegel.

U.S. officials have threatened renewed military strikes if negotiations fail. Trump warned during a PBS interview that if an agreement is not reached, the U.S. will resume bombing Iran “in a far greater scope and intensity than before,” according to Spiegel. The U.S. has maintained a naval blockade of Iranian ports since 13 April, redirecting 100 vessels, disabling four, and allowing 26 humanitarian ships to pass, according to BBC.

Control Over the Strait of Hormuz

Iran has asserted military control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which 20% of the world’s oil and gas flows, according to BBC. The country has said all transit through the strait “requires coordination with and authorisation from the Persian Gulf Strait Authority.” Meanwhile, U.S; Central Command (Centcom) has claimed its blockade has been “highly effective” in “squeezing Iran economically,” according to BBC.

Trump has also claimed Iran has agreed to forgo nuclear weapons, saying “they have agreed” during a press conference, according to Spiegel; However, the U.S. demands include Iran surrendering enriched uranium to the U.S. and lifting its control over the strait, according to Perfil.

Trump’s Escalating Stance

Trump has canceled plans to attend his son’s wedding to remain in Washington during what he calls an “important period of time,” according to BBC, and U.S. officials have also canceled weekend plans and updated military readiness lists in anticipation of potential strikes, according to Perfil. The administration is preparing for a possible new round of military action, with no final decision yet made, according to Perfil.

Iran, for its part, has vowed to “never yield” to U.S. demands, according to 경향신문. The country has accused the U.S. of using media campaigns to apply pressure and has rejected the idea of a second round of talks while the blockade remains in place, according to tagesschau.de. The first round of indirect negotiations between the two nations, held in Islamabad, ended without a deal.

With both sides refusing to budge, Trump’s plan to finalize a deal before the U.S.-China summit appears to have failed, according to 경향신문, though the standoff highlights the fragile state of U.S.-Iran relations, with military and diplomatic tensions continuing to rise as negotiations stall.