Trump pauses Iran attack, warns of renewed military action

May 20, 2026, 08:07 am

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U.S. President Donald Trump answers reporters’ questions while touring the White House ballroom construction site on May 19, 2026. /AP-Yonhap

U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Monday that military strikes against Iran could resume within days if negotiations fail to produce a breakthrough.

Trump said he had postponed a planned attack on Iran just one hour before approval, following requests from Gulf allies including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. He indicated that Tehran has until later this week or early next week to reach an agreement.

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U.S. President Donald Trump answers reporters’ questions while touring the White House ballroom construction site on May 19, 2026. /AP-Yonhap

“I hope we don’t have to go to war, but we may have to deliver another major strike,” Trump told reporters at the White House. He reiterated that Iran “will never have a nuclear weapon.”

The U.S. administration has continued to intensify economic pressure on Tehran despite the temporary pause in military action. Washington announced new sanctions targeting Iran’s shadow financial network and seized an Iran-linked oil tanker in the Indian Ocean.

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U.S. Vice President J. D. Vance speaks during a press briefing at the White House briefing room on May 19, 2026. /AFP-Yonhap

Vice President J. D. Vance said negotiations had made “a lot of progress” and suggested Tehran also wants a deal. However, he stressed that the United States is prepared to resume military operations if Iran refuses to abandon its nuclear ambitions.

“We are ready to act immediately,” Vance said during a White House briefing. He described two possible paths: a negotiated agreement under which Iran gives up nuclear weapons capabilities, or “Option B,” referring to renewed military action.

Trump also claimed that during talks in Beijing last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping promised not to supply weapons to Iran. According to the Financial Times, Trump said he trusted Xi’s commitment.

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Iranian citizens riding motorcycles pass a billboard featuring the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran on May 19, 2026. /Reuters-Yonhap

Meanwhile, U.S. media outlets reported signs that Washington is actively considering renewed strikes. Axios reported that Trump convened a national security meeting with senior officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and CIA Director John Ratcliffe to discuss both diplomatic developments and military options.

Despite Vance’s optimistic remarks, The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran has largely maintained its existing demands, including an end to hostilities, sanctions relief, compensation for war damages and a strategic role in managing the Strait of Hormuz.

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Ships are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Oman’s Musandam Peninsula on May 18, 2026. /Reuters-Yonhap

Iranian officials have also reportedly called for a U.S. military withdrawal from areas surrounding Iran and the release of frozen assets. Reuters said the proposals were largely unchanged from earlier offers that Trump had previously dismissed as “garbage.”

The ongoing tensions have further rattled global energy markets. With shipping disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz — a route that carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply — Brent crude prices have surged more than 50% since the start of U.S.-Israeli strikes earlier this year, according to Bloomberg.

#Donald Trump #Iran #US-Iran talks #Hormuz Strait #JD Vance