Iran talks are 'last chance' to avoid escalation, says Trump
United States President Donald Trump has described newly planned talks with Tehran as the “last chance” for Iran to reach an agreement and avoid an escalation of American strikes against the country.
Speaking at the Oval Office on Monday (August 3, 2026), Mr. Trump said he expects negotiations to begin within the next day or two. These talks are intended to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and create a pathway for Iran to address U.S. concerns about its nuclear programme.
“The first phase is the opening of the straits. The second phase will be the denuclearisation,” the President said. “And that will take a little while.”
The remarks come amid an ongoing conflict. U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28, and Mr. Trump has repeatedly threatened to escalate attacks, only to step back from those threats at critical moments. In recent weeks, he has highlighted the U.S. military's impact on Iran's leadership and military capabilities, but Iran appears to be betting that it can outlast the American President, who faces diminished munitions stockpiles and a war that is unpopular with the U.S. electorate ahead of the November midterm elections.
Mr. Trump said he decided to hold off on ordering new massive strikes at the urging of Gulf allies Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. He disclosed that a plan was in place for U.S. forces to carry out “the biggest attack since World War II” on Sunday, but that he scrapped the operation to give diplomacy more time. This decision followed appeals from key Gulf leaders, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as requests from unnamed Iranian officials.
Despite this, Mr. Trump reiterated that his patience is running thin. “This is the last chance for them to sign a good document,” he told reporters.
Earlier on Monday, Mr. Trump criticised Iran on social media, calling the country “unbelievably duplicitous.” His frustration was sparked by Iran's claim that its meetings with Oman that day were focused solely on establishing a temporary safe navigation route through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil trade.
“They ask for a meeting, some would say 'beg,' talks begin, with more scheduled in the immediate future, and they say, openly and proudly, that they're not having any discussions, that nothing is being talked about, and they're only dealing with Oman,” Mr. Trump said.
The U.S. President insisted that, whether Iran admits it or not, the two countries are in fact discussing ways to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
When asked by a reporter how Americans view his pattern of making grim threats and then backing down, Mr. Trump said he is showing patience out of concern for Iranian lives. “I want to give them every last chance before decapitation,” he said. “Hopefully, they'll come to their senses.”
Critics, however, interpret this pattern differently. Senator Mark Kelly, an Arizona Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, described the President's approach as “rather erratic.” Speaking on CBS News' “Face the Nation,” Mr. Kelly said, “At this point, he's trying to get us back to February. And I think if he could — if he had a big reset button he could hit — he would certainly take that option.”
Throughout the conflict, Mr. Trump has displayed a tendency to adopt a bellicose stance only to retreat at the last minute, while claiming that his threats have yielded progress. For instance, in early April, the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire in an announcement that came amid similar threats and diplomatic maneuvers.
Analysts suggest that Mr. Trump may still conclude that a massive escalation is necessary. But his hesitation also may reflect an unspoken understanding within his administration that U.S. military might alone may not compel Iran to back down or bring an end to a conflict that has already lasted longer than initially projected.
