US says it is capable to resume war with Iran as deal remains elusive

Published on 30/05/2026 - 11:46 GMT+2

The United States signalled it was "more than capable" of resuming the war with Iran if necessary, as the fate of a potential deal between Washington and Tehran remains up in the air.

"We are more than capable, our stockpiles are more than suited for that, both there and around the globe because of how we balance exquisite and more plentiful munitions," US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said speaking at a major defence summit in Asia on Saturday.

"We're in a very good place," he added.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) echoed this stance on X, claiming US forces "remain present and vigilant across the region".

US and Iranian negotiators reached a tentative framework agreement on Thursday to extend the Iran war ceasefire by 60 days and launch negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme towards a final deal.

The proposal did still need to be signed off by US President Donald Trump, who said he sought to make his "final determination" on the deal in an upcoming meeting.

"Iran must agree that they will never have a nuclear weapon or bomb. The Hormuz Strait must be immediately open, no tolls, for unrestricted shipping traffic, in both directions. All water mines (bombs), if any, will be terminated," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump met with advisers for two hours in the White House Situation Room on Friday, but the meeting concluded without a decision, according to a senior administration official.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Trump would only sign a deal that met his red lines, including a guarantee that Tehran would never be able to develop nuclear weapons.

Before the meeting concluded, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told state media that no deal had yet been finalised. He added that negotiators were primarily focused on ending the war and were not currently discussing the specifics of Iran’s nuclear programme.

Iran's nuclear programme remains a major sticking point in the negotiations. Tehran has repeatedly pushed back against this requirement, maintaining that its nuclear activities are solely for peaceful and civilian purposes.

Iran's main negotiators also expressed a lack of trust "in guarantees or words," insisting only actions matter, a reflection of the deep mistrust that persists between the two nations.

“No step will be taken before the other side acts,” Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf wrote on X. “We do not gain concessions through talks, but through missiles".

Both Iran and US have accused each other of violating the ceasefire since the ceasefire went into effect roughly seven weeks ago. Nevertheless, negotiations between the two sides have remained ongoing.

Additional sources • AP, AFP