For the nth time, Trump has again given Iran a “few more days” to give an answer to the latest proposal from the Americans. This is on top of previous deadlines: “two days before all hell breaks loose,” “a week before we destroy them,” “just three or four days more,” “can wait a few more days,” und so weiter. But there is nothing to wait for. The absolute essential demand of he Americans is that Iran give up its 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to a level of 60%, just one step below the weapons-grade of 90%. The Iranians say they need this uranium for peaceful purposes, but there is no need “for peaceful purposes” — nuclear energy — to enrich uranium above 5%. For medical research purposes, uranium needs to be enriched to a level of 20%, but not more.
Now the supreme leader, or whoever is now pretending to be Mojtaba Khamenei, has reiterated that the uranium will not be given up, no matter what the Americans want. In fact, the Iranian tone has hardened from the previous iteration. More on the latest Iranian response can be found here: “Supreme Leader says enriched uranium must stay in Iran, Iranian sources say,” Reuters, May 21, 2026:
“Iran’s Supreme Leader has issued a directive that the country’s near-weapons-grade uranium should not be sent abroad, two senior Iranian sources said, hardening Tehran’s stance on one of the main US demands at peace talks.
Iran’s Supreme Leader has issued a directive that the country’s near-weapons-grade uranium should not be sent abroad, two senior Iranian sources said, hardening Tehran’s stance on one of the main US demands at peace talks.
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei’s order could further frustrate US President Donald Trump and complicate talks on ending the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Israeli officials have told Reuters that Trump has assured Israel that Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, needed to make an atomic weapon, will be sent out of Iran and that any peace deal must include a clause on this….
Iran’s top officials, the sources said, believe that sending the material abroad would leave the country more vulnerable to future attacks by the United States and Israel. Khamenei has the last say on the most important state matters….
Trump said on Wednesday the US was ready to proceed with further attacks on Tehran if Iran did not agree to a peace deal, but suggested Washington could wait a few days to “get the right answers.”
The two sides have started to narrow some gaps, the sources said, but deeper splits remain over Tehran’s nuclear program – including the fate of its enriched uranium stockpiles and Tehran’s demand for recognition of its right to enrichment.
Iranian officials have repeatedly said Tehran’s priority is to secure a permanent end to the war and credible guarantees that the US and Israel will not launch further attacks….
But why should the Iranians need a guarantee that the US and Israel won’t launch further attacks? Haven’t the Iranians repeatedly said that they can deal with, and defeat, both the Great Satan and the Little Satan? Where’s that bring-it-on bravado that we’ve all gotten so used to?
Israeli officials have told Reuters it is still unclear whether Trump will decide to attack and whether he would give Israel a green light to resume operations. Tehran has vowed a crushing response if attacked.
That “crushing response” Iran has promised has not dissuaded the Israelis in the slightest. They are expecting hostilities to be renewed, and are prepared, are even, one might say, chomping at the bit. They have unfinished business with Iran, because the last time around, Trump pressured Israel to stop fighting which, reluctantly, it did.
Iran is not going to give up that U-235 enriched to a level of 60%. It is not going to hand it over to the Americans, to the IAEA, to the UN, to anybody. It is not going to dilute it. It will try to kill those Americans or Israelis who may attempt to retrieve the uranium now under great masses of rubble at Isfahan and Natanz. So what is Trump waiting for? Iran will not budge. It is again time for bombs aweigh.
Wellington says
Perhaps something is going on behind the scenes (e.g., Mossad and CIA activity) that will lead to what really needs to occur, i.e., a complete regime change, but minus this I do not see what the cessation of military activity since early April has accomplished. Even retired US military personnel like General Jack Keane, and who have supported Trump in this war, have manifested their frustration and impatience with what has been transpiring the last five or six weeks.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Only rationale I can see is secret training of Iranian forces to take over Iran once hostilities resume. There is no other justification for this saga, which is just sinking the economies of other countries whose energy supplies are disrupted
Rick Gordon says
I agree with almost all of this. The current Iranian regime and its thugs – aka the IRGC – are not sane. They will lie and delay until the Western leaders give up. The only thing they understand is force. This is obvious.
OLD GUY says
Or they plan to assassinate Trump hoping that will stop American interest in the war with Iran.
Kosh's Shadow says
Meanwhile the Mullahs work to get nuclear bombs.
Westman says
The ancient salting of fields by conquerors is mostly folklore, perhaps begun by observing the residue left by generations of irrigation with brackish water that ruined agricultural land.
However, the region around the Chernobyl reactor site is a case of modern-day unplanned radioactive “salting” of the land that is real. The currently known sites of fissionable materials production could be rendered generationally unusable by the injection of radioactive materials. This could prevent recovery of the old sites.
There are two kinds of “bomb making” operations in Iran, one for physical/nuclear bombs and the other to create martyrs and indoctrinators in the seminaries of Qom. The first Qom bomb exploded in 1979, bringing back the “Lenin” of Iran and 46 years of oppression.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Actually, a better example of it was the Kazakh city of Semipalatinsk, where they tested some 450 nukes over a 40 year period, from 1949 to 1989. That place is most heavily contaminated as a result. It’s interesting that the Soviets didn’t pick a place deep in the Soviet Tundra that was completely unpopulated. Since Semipalatinsk may have been minor in the Soviet scheme of things, but it’s relatively more important to Kazakhstan
Palace Jew says
Chernobyl was in use during, and after the disaster. It never shut down.
More than one threat says
There doesn’t appear to be a sense of urgency to resolve this conflict; which seems incongruous with the pressing time imperatives for all stakeholders.
The Iranian regime is soon to run out of oil storage capacity, and will soon have to shut down oil wells, knowing there is a risk that it is not technically or economically viable to restart those wells.
Although the current daily loss to Iran of oil export revenue, and the economic impact of the US blockading Iranian ports or the regime halting internet-related business is causing short term economic consequences in Iran, these short-term hardships for Iran are nothing compared to the potential decades long consequences of Iran damaging and losing oil production capacity from key oil fields.
You’d think Iran would have a strong motive to reach a deal quickly with Trump to prevent the deteriorating short term economic conditions that might fuel an internal uprising against the IRGC, as well as longer term economic damage to Iran’s oil production capacity.
On the other hand, while the USA is not necessarily dependant upon Gulf State oil, the impact the crisis is having on global oil prices would surely impact upon USA domestic political and economic considerations, including who might win in the November US Mid-Term elections.
In addition, a range of affected national economies reliant upon Gulf oil and oil-related products, whether the nation is a oil consumer nation in Europe, Asia or elsewhere, as well as Gulf nations supplying oil or oil-related products, are all undoubtedly bringing pressure to bear on the US and Iran to reach a settlement quickly.
The longer Trump allows Iran, or other Muslim nations like Pakistan, to drag negotiations out and determine the tempo of the negotiations, the weaker Trump makes the US look. Iran, Pakistan and key Gulf States are currenly setting the timeline for negotiations and the US is acquiescing.
Trump may be better advised to set a negotiation deadline for Iran (and any mediation intermediaries like Pakistan) – that is, achieve a deal by a set date in the near term, or US/Israeli military action will resume military action under a new operation name (assuming a new operation allows Trump to reset the 60 day clock with Congress).
Such an option might be stymied by the US Congress. The US Democrats and RINOs act as though they’d rather Trump lose, even if that means Iran winning.
Trump has many domestic and international enemies who’d like to see Trump and the USA fail. It is vital for the free world that Trump and the US not fail.
Beans🫘 says
Very good comment.
But Trump is selling our SPR stored oil to China, and China is totally full buying every barrel they can.
Our spr has been half emptied , mostly sold to Asia , including China. The concept of fungability is being exposed. The spr oil is released into the “market”. Moves on to oil companies. The oil companies sell it to foreigners, China because they will sell for more profit.
Trunp fumbled that one, big league.
Rick Gordon says
That’s horrible. What are the sources of this information?
Beans says
1. China is estimated to hold at least 1.2 billion to 1.5 billion barrels of crude oil in total storage (including both strategic and commercial stockpiles)
2. While the oil is sold to private companies in the U.S., the crude oil market is a global commodity market.
• The “fungibility” of oil: Because oil is a globally traded commodity, it is difficult to “track” where a specific barrel of SPR oil ends up once it is bought by a refiner.
• Domestic vs. Export: Refiners use the oil to keep their plants running. While some of that fuel stays in the U.S. for domestic consumption, some of it may be exported as refined products (like gasoline or diesel) to other countries, depending on global price signals and supply needs.
3. Massive Supply Shortfall: With the Strait effectively closed, a large portion of the world’s oil supply—historically dominated by Gulf nations—has been cut off. This has created the largest supply disruption in history, leaving major importers in Asia and Europe scrambling for alternative sources.
• The U.S. as the Global “Safety Valve”: Because the U.S. is the world’s largest oil producer, it has become the primary destination for countries looking to replace their lost Middle Eastern barrels. Exports have surged to record levels—reaching over 5.6 million barrels per day in mid-May 2026—up significantly from last year.
We are emptying out our SPR and selling it on the global market. Oil production hasn’t gone up that much, but exports have gone way up. We have no state oil company. It goes to private hands and they sell on the open market. That’s why your gas is 4.50, because Asia will pay more for our SPR oil in this fungibility scheme. SPR is at all time low. China is buying like crazy from our oil companies, who pull it out of the SPR.
Maria V says
I wonder Why Trump is holding back ??
MikeG says
Its clear it is Saudi Arabia and more generally the Gulf countries driving this, not Israel, contrary to what the conspiracy theorists would have you believe.
Gamaliel says
Trump may think that waiting allows Iran’s economy to collapse. We should be arming the populace that is against the government. We should be helping the Kurds overthrow the Iranian government.
Cojinator says
At this point, we can only speculate about the US government’s intentions. Personally, I suspect the world will accept their restraint and patience when the US and Israel attack Iran again, having supposedly exhausted all diplomatic avenues. Meanwhile, they are surely building up their munitions and missile arsenals to deliver a devastating blow to these lunatics.
Ralph says
I have been an “ever Trumper” for a decade, but am starting to wonder how much longer this waffling will continue.
gravenimage says
How Long, O Lord, Will This Farce Go On?
…………………………………..
Certainly, this waffleing seems pretty foolish–and Islam takes advantage of any weakness.