US President Donald Trump on Friday, 2 May 2025, said that negotiations with Iran remain deeply uncertain, warning he is "not satisfied" with current proposals while keeping both diplomacy and military action explicitly on the table. Speaking to reporters before departing on Marine One at the White House, Trump's remarks mark one of his sharpest public assessments yet of the stalled talks.

Trump's Dissatisfaction With Current Proposals

"They want to make a deal, but I'm not satisfied with it, so we'll see what happens," Trump told reporters, offering no specifics on what terms he found lacking. He described Iran's leadership as fragmented, saying they are "all messed up" and "very disjointed", with deep internal divisions complicating any unified negotiating stance. According to Trump, Iranian leaders "are not getting along with each other" and "don't know who the leader is" — a characterisation that, if accurate, would significantly complicate the path to a binding agreement.

Military Option Remains on the Table

Despite expressing a preference for diplomacy, Trump made clear that force remains an active option. "Do we want to go and just blast the hell out of him and finish him forever, or do we want to try and make a deal?" he said. "I'd prefer not, on a human basis." He then added bluntly: "Those are the options." Trump also claimed that Iran currently has "no navy", "no air force", and severely limited defence capability following what he described as the impact of recent conflict — though these claims were not independently verified.

Congressional Authorisation Bypassed

Trump defended his administration's refusal to seek Congressional approval for any potential military action against Iran, arguing that such authorisation had "never been sought before" and was considered by many to be "totally unconstitutional". The position is legally contested and is likely to draw scrutiny from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Notably, the War Powers Resolution of 1973 requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to hostilities — a provision that has been disputed by multiple administrations.

Talks Described as Inconsistent

Trump acknowledged that negotiations were ongoing but characterised them as erratic. "They get close, and then a new group of people comes in," he said, pointing to shifting positions within Iran's leadership as a recurring obstacle. He framed the US military posture as leverage, saying: "We're in the midst of a big victory," and suggesting that Tehran's weakened position was what was driving its interest in a deal.

Energy Markets and Regional Fallout

Trump also flagged the ripple effect on global energy markets, noting that large volumes of oil remain stuck at sea due to ongoing disruptions — an apparent reference to tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding shipping lanes. The US has long sought to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions through a combination of sanctions and diplomacy. Talks have repeatedly stalled over verification protocols, enrichment limits, and broader regional security concerns. Escalating tensions in West Asia have kept energy markets on edge, with traders closely tracking any developments that could disrupt crude supply routes. The situation is evolving rapidly, and the next round of diplomatic contacts — if any — is expected to be closely watched by both regional allies and global energy markets.