President Donald Trump is weighing whether to accept an emerging Iran deal or resume military action, as Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and other senior national security officials take part in high-level deliberations over the nearly three-month conflict.
Trump said Saturday that he planned to meet with negotiators later in the day to review Iran’s latest offer and would likely decide by Sunday whether to resume the war, according to Axios. He described the chances of reaching a deal as a “solid 50/50.”
“I think one of two things will happen: either I hit them harder than they have ever been hit, or we are going to sign a deal that is good,” Trump said, according to the outlet.
The fast-moving developments drew attention on X after users pointed to Vance’s return to Washington, Trump’s Iran meeting, and the planned call with Arab leaders. However, several claims circulating on X had not been independently confirmed as of Saturday afternoon.
🚨 do you understand what just happened in the last 3 hours..
> jd vance made an UNPLANNED return to washington.. motorcade racing to the white house.. no advance notice..
> trump summoned the full national security team.. hegseth, gen. caine, the whole NSC.. not a briefing.. a… pic.twitter.com/06VsQvYeQF
— 🇺🇸 Thomas A. Whitaker (@WhitakerTA_) May 23, 2026
Trump Reviews Iran Proposal
The diplomatic push followed a Friday meeting with senior national security officials, including Vance, Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. That meeting focused on the Iran war and the possibility of renewed strikes if negotiations failed, according to Axios.
The latest proposal emerged from Iran-Pakistan talks after Pakistani Field Marshal Asim Munir traveled to Tehran to meet with Iranian officials. Pakistan said the talks produced “encouraging progress toward a final understanding,” the outlet reported.
U.S., Iran Report Progress
Iran, the United States, and Pakistan all reported progress Saturday in talks aimed at ending almost three months of war, Reuters reported. The proposed framework would unfold in three stages: ending the war, addressing the Strait of Hormuz crisis, and opening a 30-day window for broader negotiations.
Trump said he would discuss the latest draft with advisers and could decide Sunday whether to resume attacks on Iran, according to Reuters.
In his interview with Axios, Trump said he would either “hit them harder than they have ever been hit” or sign “a deal that is good.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States’ core demands remain unchanged.
“Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. The straits need to be open without tolls. They need to turn over their enriched uranium,” Rubio said, according to Reuters.
Rubio said diplomatic work was continuing.
“Even as I speak to you now, there’s some work being done. There is a chance that, whether it’s later today, tomorrow, in a couple days, we may have something to say,” Rubio told reporters in New Delhi, according to Reuters.
Tehran Holds Firm
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the talks had moved closer but had not resolved the remaining disputes.
“The trend this week has been towards a reduction in disputes, but there are still issues that need to be discussed through mediators. We will have to wait and see where the situation ends in the next three or four days,” Baghaei said, according to Reuters.
Baghaei also described the draft as a “framework agreement” that would address the issues needed to end the war before opening a 30- to 60-day window for further talks, according to the Associated Press.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf told Munir that Iran would not compromise on what it considers its national rights and accused the United States of lacking honesty in the negotiations, Iranian state television reported, according to Reuters.
Qalibaf said Iran would pursue its “legitimate rights” through both diplomacy and the battlefield, according to the report. He also warned that if the United States “foolishly restarts the war,” the consequences would be “more forceful and bitter” than at the start of the conflict.
Decision Could Come Soon
The United States and Iran are close to agreeing on a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war, two regional officials and a diplomat told the Associated Press. The officials said they hoped both sides could reach a final decision on the Pakistan-prepared draft within 48 hours.
The officials said Vance, Witkoff, and Kushner helped bridge remaining gaps. Qatar also supported Pakistan’s mediation by sending a senior official to Tehran, according to AP.
The latest talks follow a week of regional pressure on Washington. As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Trump postponed a planned strike on Iran earlier this week after Gulf leaders urged Washington to give negotiations more time.
Iran also proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz if the United States lifted its blockade and moved toward a broader agreement, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
