[ "Washington DC – President Donald Trump issued a stark assessment of the negotiations with Iran on Wednesday, saying the United States is still not satisfied with the progress made so far. The comments were delivered at a public cabinet meeting where senior officials had been briefing the president on the emerging situation.", "", "Trump told reporters that Tehran is very much intent on ending the conflict, but added that the current shape of the talks is unsatisfactory. He cautioned that the United States may be forced to resume military operations if an agreement is not reached soon. They just want to make a deal – I don’t think they have a choice, he said. “They’re negotiating on fumes.”", "", "The remarks followed a statement by Iranian state television that a draft agreement had been reached. The draft, according to Tehran, would allow the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the region. The White House has dismissed the report as a complete fabrication and has called for a re‑examination of the negotiations.", "", "Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined the president in expressing a sense of continued progress but did not elaborate on specific sticking points. There have been some progress and some interest, Rubio said, adding that developments over the next few hours and days would determine whether a viable agreement could be forged.", "", "Trump also highlighted a 14‑point list that Iranian media had reported earlier in the day. Those points were not addressed in his remarks, leaving many readers to speculate on what Tehran might still be seeking – from political concessions to restitution payments.", "", "The background to the negotiations lies in a flare‑up that began on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched a series of airstrikes on Iranian-backed militias in Iraq. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks against Israel and U.S. allies in the Gulf, effectively closing the Isfahan Strait of Hormuz and causing a spike in global oil prices. A ceasefire was brokered on April 8, but talks to resolve the underlying conflict have stalled in recent weeks.", "", "As the two sides work to avoid another round of hostilities, the question remains whether Trump’s warning breathes new impetus into stalled talks or simply underscores the sharp division over the strategy to be pursued with Iraq’s fiercest ally.", "", "The situation remains fluid, and further details of the negotiations are expected to surface in the coming days, as both sides balance the risks of escalation against the economics and strategic stakes in the Persian Gulf." ]}