The Japan Times - US, Iran trade threats but Trump says Tehran wants peace deal

Trump told reporters at the White House that he had been just "an hour away" from relaunching Washington's attacks on Iran before postponing the order, after weeks of a fragile ceasefire and talks to end the war that began on February 28.

"You know how it is to negotiate with a country where you're beating them badly. They come to the table, they're begging to make a deal," he said.

"I hope we don't have to do the war, but we may have to give them another big hit. I'm not sure yet."

But Iran's army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia earlier warned the Islamic republic would "open new fronts against" the United States if it restarted its attacks.

He added that Iran's military had used the ceasefire as an opportunity "to strengthen its combat capabilities".

Trump offered a deadline of several days for resuming strikes if a deal was not agreed.

"I'm saying two or three days, maybe Friday, Saturday, Sunday, something, maybe early next week, a limited period of time," he said.

Trump's new deadline came after he said on Monday that Gulf leaders had asked him to hold off on an attack at the 11th hour, which he did because "serious negotiations are taking place".

But if a deal was not agreed, he said he instructed the US military to be "prepared to go forward with a full, large-scale assault of Iran, on a moment's notice."

Trump had already indefinitely extended the truce and made clear he wants to exit a war that has proven to be a political liability, with Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz rattling the global economy and hurting Americans at the pump.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi wrote on X that Trump's comments meant the US leader was "calling a 'threat' a 'chance for peace'!"

- Drone attack -

Since the ceasefire took hold on April 8, Tehran and Washington have held a single round of talks, which failed to culminate in a deal.

Iran has repeatedly rebuffed Trump's offers on a deal and its control over the vital Hormuz strait has sent global oil prices spiraling.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei confirmed exchanges with the United States through mediator Pakistan and said Tehran made clear its "concerns".

The cleric-run state, whose supreme leader was killed in strikes on the first day of the war but has proven resilient, is demanding the release of Iranian assets frozen abroad and the lifting of long-standing sanctions.

After the Iranian threat of attacks on new fronts, the United Arab Emirates said a drone attack on its Barakah nuclear power plant last week originated from Iraqi territory, where Iran backs groups accused of launching attacks on Gulf nations in the war.

"As part of the ongoing investigation into the blatant attack on the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant on May 17, 2026, technical tracking and monitoring confirmed that the three drones... all originated from Iraqi territory," the Emirati defence ministry said.

A top Emirati official had already suggested Iran or one of its regional proxies was to blame.

Iran has been ramping up military pressure in the region.

The Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of Iran's military, threatened on Monday to put the internet fibre optic cables passing through the waterway under a system of permits.

Its Revolutionary Guards also said Monday that they struck groups linked to the United States and Israel within the Iranian province of Kurdistan, near the border with Iraq, which it said were attempting to smuggle American weapons into Iran.

Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari told reporters that Doha, one of Iran's main targets in the war, believed "more time" was needed for the ongoing Pakistani-mediated efforts to push for Iran-US talks.

- 'Excessive' conditions -

At the same time, Iran's foreign ministry said it has responded to the latest US proposal which Iranian media had described as "excessive" and offering "no tangible concessions".

On Sunday, Iran's Fars news agency said Washington had presented a five-point list, which included a demand for Iran to keep only one nuclear site in operation and transfer its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to the United States.

The US had refused to release "even 25 percent" of Iran's assets frozen abroad or pay any reparations for war damage, Fars added.

The report said the US had also made clear it would only cease hostilities when Tehran engages in formal peace negotiations.

Iran however has said it insists on its own demands, including the release of the frozen assets, the lifting of long-standing sanctions on the country and war reparations.

But later, the Tasnim news agency, citing an unnamed source close to the Iranian negotiating team, said the United States made one new step forward in the latest text by agreeing to waive oil sanctions while negotiations were underway.

H.Takahashi--JT