US Iran war: Trump may ditch nuclear deal plan if Tehran reopens Hormuz

US President Donald Trump appears to be seeking an exit route from the military confrontation with Iran, with the ongoing conflict proving increasingly difficult to resolve, The Wall Street Journal reported, adding that he may be prepared to set aside the nuclear issue and declare victory if Tehran fully reopens the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump has spent weeks preparing the groundwork for such an outcome and has privately told senior aides that he could withdraw without securing a formal nuclear agreement with Tehran, the report said.

The development comes as Iran has set new conditions for reopening the strategic waterway, while talks involving Oman over possible new maritime routes are in their final stages. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that an agreement on the routes does not necessarily mean the Strait of Hormuz will reopen.


Also read: Iran Guards say won't reopen Hormuz without US meeting all Tehran's conditions

Iran sets conditions for reopening Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Supreme National Security Council insisted that the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until the US "corrects its behaviour", according to Iran's state broadcaster.

The demands include a permanent end to the war, an end to US threats against Iran, lifting of the naval blockade of Iranian ports and withdrawal of US military forces from the region, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said.

Iran has also demanded that the US eliminate sanctions, release its frozen financial assets and pay war reparations, while ending American military action against Iranian-allied militias across the region.

Araghchi said negotiations with Oman over "new maritime routes" through the Strait of Hormuz were "in the final stages".

"This, however, does not mean that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen," Araghchi told reporters in Tehran on Sunday. "An agreement on the routes may be reached, but reopening the strait is subject to a number of other conditions, which have been conveyed through intermediaries."

According to two people familiar with the talks, Iran and Oman are working to finalise a temporary arrangement under which ships would enter the strait through a route close to Iran and exit through one close to Oman. Ships would not pay fees or tolls during the interim period.

The agreement is designed to restore an earlier, separate agreement between the US and Iran and restart a 60-day period for the two countries to negotiate over Iran's nuclear programme, the people said.

The proposed arrangement is endorsed by members of the Gulf Cooperation Council and is expected to be jointly announced by Iran, Oman, the US and the International Maritime Organisation once finalised, they said, while cautioning that the terms could still change.

Also read: Iranian President Pezeshkian recently met Supreme Leader Khamenei

Trump seeks face-saving resolution

Finding a face-saving resolution has become increasingly difficult following Tehran's demands, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Iran's ability to disrupt traffic through the narrow maritime corridor using missile and drone capabilities has provided Tehran with significant leverage, slowing commercial shipping and driving volatility across international energy markets.

Trump has repeatedly asserted in recent weeks that the strait was fully open, but those declarations have proved premature. Tehran shut the strategic waterway following the outbreak of hostilities in February, maintaining that American warships and allied vessels must not be permitted transit, while also attempting to levy tolls on commercial shipping.

US officials said Washington has firmly rejected both the Iranian shipping restrictions and attempts to impose tolls.

According to the US Central Command, the blockade had redirected 53 commercial vessels, disabled two and boarded two through Saturday.

Diplomatic prospects dimmed further over the weekend following an announcement by the United Arab Emirates that Iran had launched a missile strike against one of its vessels.

Nuclear issue takes back seat

The nuclear dispute has remained central to US-Iran tensions since April, when the White House warned that Tehran would never be permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon.

While Washington initially sought to incorporate nuclear commitments into a broader bilateral agreement, complex negotiations prompted the White House to shift focus towards securing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Trump privately told senior aides in recent weeks that Iran may be unable to restart its nuclear programme during his presidency, following the US destruction of three major Iranian nuclear facilities in May 2025, the report said.

The US president argued during internal meetings that American intelligence assets would promptly detect any attempt by Tehran to rebuild those sites or clandestinely develop a nuclear weapon. He maintained that the threat of renewed US military strikes would serve as a lasting deterrent.

Trump has also minimised concerns regarding Iran's subterranean enriched material.

"We've already got the nuclear material, because it's so far underground," Trump said during a July summit of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. "Nobody's going to be able to get it except us."

This calculation could allow Washington to pivot away from demanding a formal nuclear deal if maritime transit through the strait is fully restored and the nuclear threat remains effectively contained.

Also read: Trump's closest Gulf allies are frustrated with his Iran war strategy

Financial demands remain hurdle

Financial demands remain a major impediment to any potential settlement.

Tehran continues to insist on billions of dollars in war damages and the unfreezing of its overseas financial assets.

Trump previously said his administration would not allow American taxpayers' money to be handed to Iran. However, US officials cited by The Wall Street Journal said an agreement may be unattainable unless Washington agrees to unfreeze some Iranian assets, potentially under specified conditions.

Another point of contention involves potential sanctions waivers that would allow Iran to resume international oil sales.

Washington had previously granted such waivers as part of an interim truce, which subsequently collapsed when Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz prompted the full restoration of US energy sanctions.

Domestic pressure on Trump

The push for a resolution is also being driven by domestic political considerations ahead of the upcoming US midterm elections.

With domestic petrol prices remaining significantly elevated compared with pre-war levels, the administration has been looking for a framework to demonstrate to American voters that the military campaign has achieved its objectives.

Trump said in recent days that he had been prepared to launch the biggest military attack since World War II, but that US allies persuaded him not to do so.

He also said a deal with Iran was "imminent", although no formal agreement has materialised.

On Friday, Trump appeared to suggest that victory had already been achieved regardless of a nuclear deal, sharing a social media post linking to an article titled "Donald Trump Won the Iran War".

Vice President JD Vance indicated that Washington would continue applying pressure on Tehran to secure long-term structural changes in bilateral relations.

"And if not, that's fine, too, we're just going to keep on applying the pressure we can apply, and getting as much oil and gas out of the Middle East so that Americans can enjoy lower gas and energy prices," Vance said.

"We're in the middle of the game," he added.

Wider regional tensions

The developments around the Strait of Hormuz come amid wider escalation across the Middle East.

Yemen's Houthis on Sunday attacked Mokha, a crucial Red Sea port, killing at least seven people and injuring 15 civilians, according to Yemen's National Resistance Forces. The Houthis later claimed responsibility, saying they had fired ballistic missiles and drones at military enforcement and warehouses in the area.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree also said the group targeted an Aramco refinery in Jazan, southwestern Saudi Arabia, with a drone. Saudi Arabia's Energy Ministry earlier reported a fire at a facility belonging to the Aramco refinery but said there were no casualties.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon is pressing the US defence industry to accelerate weapons production. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the department was focused on boosting munitions acquisitions to provide "the weapons our warfighters need at the pace the threat demands."

The war with Iran has used up more of the US military's already diminished stockpiles of advanced missile interceptors, according to a new analysis from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

(With inputs from ANI, AP)