US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: US President Donald Trump has reportedly signalled to senior aides that he could be willing to end the conflict with Iran without first securing a new nuclear agreement with Tehran. However, Iran’s demands for reopening the strategically important Strait of Hormuz are creating a major obstacle to Washington’s efforts to establish a longer-term exit from the war, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: Trump’s Focus Shifts From Nuclear Deal To Strait Of Hormuz
According to US officials cited by The Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration had increasingly focused on restoring commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz after negotiations surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme proved difficult.
For weeks, Trump had reportedly been considering the reopening of the waterway as a potential basis for declaring the US campaign a success. The strategic passage is crucial for global energy shipments, making its continued disruption a major economic and geopolitical concern. However, Tehran has reportedly attached a series of conditions to any agreement on reopening the strait, complicating Washington’s calculations.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: Iran Sets Out Demands For Reopening The Waterway
Iranian officials have outlined extensive conditions for restoring access through the Strait of Hormuz. According to Iranian state news agency IRNA, Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr said Tehran would require the US to permanently end the war, lift its naval blockade and withdraw American forces from the region.
Iran has also called for an end to US sanctions, the release of frozen Iranian assets and compensation for wartime losses. Tehran has further demanded an end to US threats and military action against its regional allies.
The demands go significantly beyond simply restoring commercial shipping through the waterway, potentially making negotiations more difficult.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: Why Strait Of Hormuz Has Become Critical
The Strait of Hormuz has emerged as one of the most important pressure points in the conflict because of its role in global energy transportation.
Iran reportedly closed the waterway after the war began in February, disrupting commercial shipping and adding pressure to already elevated energy markets. Trump has repeatedly said the strait was open, although commercial traffic has not yet returned to normal levels, according to the report.
For Washington, restoring the free movement of energy shipments has therefore become a central objective alongside broader military and diplomatic considerations.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: Trump Faces Pressure To Find An Exit
The latest developments could reduce Trump’s options for ending the conflict while maintaining political leverage.
Trump has repeatedly threatened further military escalation against Iran but has also indicated that he wants the war to conclude. Gregory Brew, an Iran expert at Eurasia Group, told The Wall Street Journal that Tehran may believe Trump is eager to end the conflict and focused on reopening the strait.
Mona Yacoubian, director of the Middle East programme at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, similarly said Iran’s demands could make it harder for the US president to find a politically acceptable path out of the war.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: Domestic Pressure Adds To Trump’s Challenges
The Strait of Hormuz issue also comes as Trump faces domestic economic and political pressure.
US gasoline prices remain above pre-war levels, while the US midterm elections are approaching. Any prolonged disruption to energy supplies could therefore carry economic consequences for American consumers and create additional political pressure on the administration.
At the same time, Trump has increasingly suggested that a new nuclear agreement with Tehran may not be essential for him to declare the conflict successfully concluded.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: White House Says US Military Objectives Have Been Achieved
The White House has said that US forces have accomplished their military objectives in Iran. A White House official cited by The Wall Street Journal said Trump’s immediate focus had shifted toward ensuring the free movement of energy through the Strait of Hormuz. The administration, however, would retain military options if Iran were to attack additional vessels.
Vice President JD Vance has also indicated that Washington would continue putting pressure on Tehran, while suggesting that the US could move forward without further negotiations if Iran does not accept American demands.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: Frozen Iranian Assets Could Become A Major Issue
Financial arrangements represent another major obstacle in the negotiations. Iran is reportedly seeking billions of dollars in war reparations as well as the release of Iranian assets frozen overseas. Trump has previously opposed sending US taxpayer money to Iran. However, according to The Wall Street Journal, a potential agreement could involve the release of at least some frozen Iranian assets, potentially subject to specific conditions. Another unresolved issue is whether Washington would permit Iran to resume selling oil on international markets.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: Oil Sanctions Add Another Layer To The Dispute
The US had previously allowed certain oil-sale waivers as part of an interim ceasefire arrangement, according to the report. Those waivers were later withdrawn after the ceasefire collapsed following Iranian attacks on shipping in the strait. Any decision to ease sanctions or allow greater Iranian oil exports could therefore become an important part of future negotiations, but it could also face political resistance in Washington.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: Nuclear Programme May No Longer Be An Immediate Condition
One of the most significant developments is Trump’s reported shift in thinking over Iran’s nuclear programme.
US officials cited by The Wall Street Journal said Trump has privately indicated that Tehran’s nuclear programme may no longer be an immediate obstacle to ending the war.
The reported assessment is based on the administration’s view that strikes against three major Iranian nuclear sites significantly damaged Tehran’s ability to rebuild its programme. Trump is also reportedly relying on US intelligence capabilities to detect any attempt by Iran to secretly reconstruct its nuclear infrastructure or pursue a nuclear weapon.
These claims remain part of the assessment reported by US officials and do not by themselves establish the long-term status of Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: What Happens If The Strait Reopens?
According to the report, the Trump administration could be more inclined to extend the existing ceasefire indefinitely if Iran’s nuclear capabilities remain contained and normal commercial traffic resumes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Washington is also expected to lift its blockade of Iranian ports if Tehran fully reopens the strategic waterway.
The challenge, however, is whether both sides can bridge their sharply different demands. Washington appears focused on restoring shipping and preventing further attacks, while Tehran is seeking broader concessions involving US military forces, sanctions, frozen assets and compensation.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: Strait Of Hormuz Becomes Key To Possible War Exit
The latest developments suggest that the Strait of Hormuz could play a decisive role in determining whether the US-Iran conflict moves toward a longer-term ceasefire or faces renewed escalation. For Trump, reopening the waterway could provide a tangible basis for claiming that a major US objective has been achieved. For Iran, the strait provides significant leverage at a time when Tehran is seeking concessions from Washington.
Whether the two sides can reach an arrangement acceptable to both governments remains uncertain, with the nuclear issue, sanctions, military presence and the future of energy shipments all still unresolved.
(With inputs from agencies)
