Washington, United States. President Donald Trump’s administration has rebuffed efforts by Middle Eastern allies to start diplomatic negotiations aimed at ending the Iran war that began two weeks ago with a U.S.-Israeli air assault, according to three sources familiar with the efforts.
Allied outreach and Iranian position
Iran has rejected the possibility of any ceasefire until U.S. and Israeli strikes end, two senior Iranian sources told Reuters, adding that several countries had been trying to mediate an end to the conflict.
Escalation and oil market impact
The lack of interest from Washington and Tehran has indicated both sides are preparing for an extended conflict as civilian casualties mount and Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz pushes oil prices higher.
U.S. strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island, described as the country’s main oil export hub, on Friday night underscored Trump’s determination to continue the military assault. Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has vowed to keep the Strait of Hormuz shut and has threatened to step up attacks on neighboring countries.
The war has killed more than 2,000 people, mostly in Iran, and has created what was described as the biggest-ever oil supply disruption after maritime traffic halted in the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is transported.
Oman’s mediation efforts and White House response
Oman, which mediated talks before the war, has tried multiple times to open a line of communication, but the White House has made clear it is not interested, according to two sources who, like others cited, were granted anonymity to speak about diplomatic matters.
A senior White House official confirmed Trump has rebuffed those efforts and is focused on continuing the war to further weaken Tehran’s military capabilities.
“He’s not interested in that right now, and we’re going to continue with the mission unabated. Maybe there’s a day, but not right now,” the official said.
Trump’s public comments and Operation Epic Fury
During the first week of the war, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that Iran’s leadership and military were so damaged by U.S.-Israeli strikes that they wanted to talk, but that it was “Too Late!” The report noted that Trump has shifted foreign policy stances without warning, making it difficult to rule out a future return to diplomacy.
“President Trump said new potential leadership in Iran has indicated they want to talk and eventually will talk. For now, Operation Epic Fury continues unabated,” a second senior White House official said when asked to comment.
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