President Donald Trump offered mixed signals Monday about the path forward in the U.S. war against Iran as a 14-day ceasefire set to expire Wednesday, warning that “lots of bombs” will “start going off” if no agreement is reached while also declaring he felt no pressure to conclude the conflict. Tensions flared over the weekend when the U.S. Navy seized an Iranian cargo ship and Iran fired on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, further straining the truce. Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf, said his country would not negotiate “under the shadow of threats,” while Trump indicated his negotiating team, led by Vice President JD Vance, would proceed with talks in Pakistan.
The breakdown reflects deep disagreement over the terms of any settlement, with the U.S. demanding concessions on Iran’s nuclear program and regional proxies while Iran refuses to capitulate. As negotiations stall, the war has killed at least 3,375 people in Iran and claims the lives of soldiers and service members across the region, while disruptions to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have sent crude prices to roughly $95 a barrel.
Trump declared Monday that he felt no pressure to end the U.S. war against Iran, even as he warned that “lots of bombs” will “start going off” if no agreement is reached before the ceasefire expires Wednesday. The conflicting statements came as Pakistani officials prepared for a second round of negotiations between U.S. and Iranian delegations, with Trump indicating he expected Vice President JD Vance to lead the American team to Islamabad despite Iran’s insistence it would not negotiate under threat.
“I am under no pressure whatsoever,” Trump said via his Truth Social platform. “Although, it will all happen, relatively quickly!”
Trump Dismisses Pressure While Iran Refuses Terms
Iran’s chief negotiator, Mohammed Bagher Qalibaf, declared Monday that his country would not return to talks as long as the United States continued issuing demands backed by military threats. “We do not accept negotiations under the shadow of threats,” Qalibaf wrote on X. He added that Iran had been preparing “to reveal new cards on the battlefield,” signaling readiness to escalate militarily if talks collapsed.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the U.S. actions around the Strait of Hormuz were incompatible with claims of diplomatic intent. “The U.S. actions are incompatible with the claim of diplomacy,” he said Monday.
Military Tensions Escalate at Strategic Chokepoint
Weekend clashes around the Strait of Hormuz underscored the fragility of the ceasefire. The U.S. Navy attacked and seized an Iranian cargo ship on Sunday that it said was attempting to evade a blockade of Iranian ports. The seizure marked the first such interception since the blockade began. Iran’s joint military command called the boarding an act of piracy and a ceasefire violation.
On Saturday, Iran fired at vessels in the strait and halted traffic, abandoning an earlier promise to allow some ships to pass. The moves came after Trump refused to lift the U.S. blockade, which has restricted Iranian oil exports since the war began more than seven weeks ago.
Trump told Bloomberg News he was “highly unlikely” to renew the ceasefire when it expires, indicating he would prefer to continue military operations rather than extend the pause in fighting.
Toll Mounts on Civilians and Global Energy
Official Iranian media reported Monday that at least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran since the war started, according to Abbas Masjedi, head of Iran’s Legal Medicine Organization. Among the dead were 383 children 18 years old or younger, without distinction between civilians and security personnel.
Twenty-three people have been killed in Israel. Fifteen Israeli soldiers have died in Lebanon, where fighting between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants has claimed more than 2,290 lives. Thirteen U.S. service members have been killed throughout the region.
Iran’s restrictions on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz—a chokepoint through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil trade normally passes—have sent energy prices climbing. Brent crude, the international oil standard, was trading at just over $95 a barrel Monday, up from about $70 before the war began.
Trump sought to reassure investors and voters about energy costs, saying prices would fall sharply if the war ended and Iran agreed to his terms. “If we end it, if Iran does what they should do, it will come roaring down,” Trump told PBS. He disagreed with Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who suggested American motorists might not see gas prices fall back into the $3 per gallon range until late this year or next.
Israel-Lebanon Peace Efforts Advance
Israeli, Lebanese and U.S. officials said historic diplomatic talks between the two countries are set to resume Thursday in Washington. The Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors held their first direct meeting in decades last week.
A 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon took effect Friday after fighting between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants erupted two days after the U.S. and Israel launched their war on Iran. Despite the ceasefire, Israel has conducted several airstrikes, saying they targeted Hezbollah militants who approached Israeli troops in a threatening manner. Hezbollah said it detonated explosives in an Israeli convoy inside Lebanon on Sunday.