President Donald Trump declared Monday that Iran has one "last chance before decapitation" to sign a deal, signaling that negotiations are underway to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as soon as Tuesday. The announcement came days after Trump called off a large-scale military operation planned for the weekend, stating it was to give Iran a final opportunity to avoid destruction.
"This is the last chance for them to sign a good document," Trump said from the Oval Office. He added, "I want to give them every last chance before decapitation."
This represents at least the 13th instance since February 28 where Trump has issued an ultimatum or deadline to Iran, only to later reverse course, extend the timeline, or pause military actions, according to a review of his prior statements. Past instances include delaying attacks twice in the spring, halting planned bombings in April to preserve talks, backing off further strikes in May following calls for restraint from Gulf allies, and holding fire in June as U.S. and Iranian negotiators worked toward a framework deal.
Trump suggested the current approach aims to avoid large-scale damage to Iran, describing the potential "decapitation strikes" targeting Iranian leadership as a "very very tough thing to do." He expressed pride in offering opportunities for de-escalation, stating, "I’d rather not do" a large attack on the country.
The president indicated that Iran requested the current negotiations, with backing from key Gulf allies including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, following his decision to abort the weekend military strike. "We are talking right now," Trump stated. "We’re talking, and we’re talking at the request of Iran, backed by Saudi Arabia, backed by UAE, and backed by Qatar in particular."
Trump suggested an outcome would be known quickly, saying, "You’ll find out today or tomorrow. They’re going to go quickly, one way or the other. It’s not very complex."
However, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, stated on Monday that Iran is not currently negotiating with Washington but with Oman regarding plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. "To avoid any misunderstanding, it is important to clarify what the current negotiations are about and who they are with. We are not negotiating with the United States at this time," Baghaei said. "Our negotiations are with Oman and are focused on reaching an understanding on a route that will ensure the safe passage of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz."
Trump outlined a two-phase plan, with the immediate priority being the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil shipping lane. "We’re talking about the strait, the opening of the strait, having it open literally by tomorrow, completely open, and that’s phase one," he said.
Following the resumption of maritime traffic, Trump stated the focus would shift to negotiating Iran's nuclear program. "The second phase is we then will talk about the nuclear capacity," he explained. "Basically, I think most say the denuclearization of Iran has to happen. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. I have never changed in that."