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U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that he does not care whether Iran returns to the negotiating table after peace talks in Islamabad collapsed.
The Trump administration is also weighing resuming limited military strikes in addition to the naval blockade of Iranian ports set to begin Monday, while U.S. officials outlined five red lines Tehran would need to meet for any future deal.
Speaking to reporters on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews after returning from Florida, Trump was asked how long he might wait for Iran to commit to a second round of talks.
"I don't know. I don't care if they come back or not. If they don't come back, I'm fine," he said.
Trump characterized Iran's military position as effectively defeated. "Their military is gone. Their missiles are largely depleted. The manufacturing capability for missiles and drones is largely defeated," he said.
Trump also said Iran had made clear during the Islamabad negotiations that it was still pursuing a nuclear weapon. "They still want it, and they made that clear the other night. Iran will not have a nuclear weapon," he told reporters.
He said the ceasefire was "holding well."
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Sunday, citing officials and people familiar with the situation, that Trump and his advisers are looking at resuming limited military strikes in addition to the Hormuz blockade as a way to break the stalemate.
Speaking on Fox News from his Doral golf resort in Florida, Trump said Iranian infrastructure could be targeted if tensions continue to escalate.
"I would hate to do it, but it's their water, their desalination plants, their electric-generating plants, which are very easy to hit," he said.
A full-scale bombing campaign resumption is seen as less likely, officials said, given concerns about further regional destabilization and the president's aversion to prolonged conflicts.
Trump could also seek a more temporary blockade while pressuring allies to take responsibility for a long-term military escort mission through the strait.
U.S. officials outlined Trump's conditions for resumed negotiations:
White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said Trump had already ordered the naval blockade, "ending the Iranian extortion," and was keeping further options open.
"Anyone who is telling The Wall Street Journal that they know what President Trump will do next is purely speculating," Wales said.
Trump aides said he remains open to a diplomatic solution even as he threatened to target Iranian infrastructure.
A senior member of the Iranian delegation, Reza Amiri Moghadam, wrote on social media that the Islamabad Talks "laid the foundation for a diplomatic process that, if trust and will are strengthened, can create a sustainable framework for the interests of all parties."
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