WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2026 — President Donald Trump has hardened his position toward Iran following the expiration of a 60-day negotiating framework between Washington and Tehran, saying Iran wants an agreement but remains unwilling to accept terms he considers essential — particularly restrictions intended to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump said Iran was interested in reaching a deal but was “not going to make the kind of deal that I feel is necessary.” He reiterated that the central U.S. objective was preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The comments came as the 60-day negotiating period established under a June Memorandum of Understanding expired Monday without a comprehensive settlement. The interim agreement had called for a halt in military operations, negotiations toward permanently ending the war and progress on resolving the long-running dispute over Iran’s nuclear activities. It also envisioned reopening the Strait of Hormuz and easing the U.S. blockade, but those provisions largely unraveled as both Washington and Tehran accused each other of violating the arrangement.

By Tuesday, Trump appeared even more pessimistic about diplomacy, saying there were no U.S.-Iran talks taking place and none scheduled. At the same time, he maintained that the Strait of Hormuz was “open and operating” and said the U.S. blockade remained in effect. Iran disputes Washington’s characterization of conditions in the waterway.

Washington and Tehran remain far apart

The dispute now extends well beyond Iran’s nuclear program.

Iranian officials have demanded that the United States lift its blockade, release frozen assets, ease oil sanctions, end military threats and operations, and fulfill other commitments Tehran says were included in the June understanding. Iran has also insisted on retaining significant influence over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Washington has rejected those demands.

Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Tuesday that the strait would not fully reopen until Washington met Tehran’s conditions. A senior Iranian official also told Reuters that Iran was preparing to shift toward a “fully offensive” military posture because efforts to secure a permanent settlement had stalled.

The conflicting statements illustrate the widening gap between the two governments: Trump says Iran ultimately wants a deal, while Tehran maintains that meaningful negotiations cannot proceed under continued military and economic pressure.

Trump threatens Oman over separate Iran talks

Tensions have also spilled into Washington’s relationship with Oman, a longstanding U.S. security partner that has traditionally played a mediating role between Iran and Western governments.

Trump reportedly told Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst that the United States would bomb Oman if the country “gets in the way” of U.S. efforts involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. When later questioned at the White House, Trump said he did not believe Oman had “behaved very well” and added that Washington could handle the country “very easily.”

The unusually severe warning came as Iran and Oman worked on a separate arrangement for managing shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials said the two countries had reached an understanding on the proposed transit routes and were working on final details before a joint announcement.

The Oman channel is particularly significant because the strait is one of the world’s most important energy corridors. Before the current conflict, roughly one-fifth of globally traded oil passed through the waterway.

Ship hit as Hormuz security deteriorates

Security concerns intensified further Tuesday when an unidentified projectile struck a vessel leaving the Strait of Hormuz near Oman.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said the projectile damaged the vessel’s engine room and resulted in a crew casualty. Authorities did not immediately identify who carried out the attack, and Oman’s Coast Guard was assisting the vessel while the incident was investigated.

Commercial traffic remains far below prewar levels despite Trump’s assertion that the strait is open. Maritime tracking data cited in recent reporting showed crossings falling sharply, while some vessels continue to avoid the passage because of the risk of attack.

The United States is simultaneously maintaining a naval blockade on Iranian shipping. U.S. Central Command said Monday that American forces had redirected dozens of commercial vessels while enforcing the blockade.

Oil climbs above $91 as markets price in prolonged instability

The diplomatic stalemate and uncertainty surrounding Hormuz are already reverberating through global energy markets.

Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose for a third consecutive trading session Tuesday. At 11:03 a.m. Eastern Time, Brent was up 0.4% at $91.23 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained 0.66% to $85.06. Both benchmarks earlier touched their highest levels since late July.

The rise follows a sharper move Monday, when Brent gained more than 2% as investors reacted to the approaching expiration of the negotiating framework and deteriorating prospects for a political settlement.

Analysts say continued restrictions on Hormuz traffic could keep upward pressure on energy prices, particularly if the confrontation stretches into the final months of 2026 and 2027. Although limited quantities of oil are moving through alternative arrangements, normal tanker traffic has not resumed.

Erdoğan presses Trump to keep diplomacy alive

Against the backdrop of escalating rhetoric, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan urged Trump during a telephone conversation to continue pursuing diplomacy with Tehran.

According to the Turkish presidency, Erdoğan stressed the importance of making maximum use of diplomatic channels and said Ankara would continue supporting efforts to achieve peace. Turkey has maintained contacts with Washington, Tehran and regional mediators including Pakistan and Qatar.

Turkey, a NATO member that shares a border with Iran, has called for an end to the conflict while criticizing U.S.-Israeli military actions against Iran as well as Iranian attacks on Gulf states. Ankara has also advocated reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Diplomatic window narrows

The expiration of the 60-day framework does not formally prevent Washington and Tehran from returning to negotiations, but the immediate outlook has darkened considerably.

The June agreement was intended to create a pathway from temporary de-escalation toward a permanent settlement. Instead, disputes over the U.S. blockade, Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions, military operations and control of the Strait of Hormuz have left the two sides further apart.

Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, Oman and other regional governments continue to explore diplomatic channels, but Trump’s statement Tuesday that no direct talks are taking place — combined with Iran’s increasingly confrontational military posture — suggests there is currently no clear path to a broader agreement.

For the international community, the stakes extend far beyond Washington and Tehran. Continued instability in the Strait of Hormuz threatens global energy supplies, commercial shipping and inflation, while any renewed military escalation could widen a conflict that has already reshaped security calculations across the Middle East.