Iran War/ Trump Refuses to Start Ceasefire Talks

2026-03-14 22:46:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

US President Donald Trump's administration has rejected efforts by Middle Eastern allies to begin diplomatic negotiations aimed at ending the Iran war that began two weeks ago with a massive US-Israeli airstrike.

Iran, for its part, has rejected the possibility of any ceasefire until the US and Israeli attacks end, adding that several countries had tried to mediate to end the conflict.

The lack of interest from Washington and Tehran suggests that both sides are preparing for a protracted conflict, even as the escalating war causes civilian casualties and Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz raises oil prices.

The US strikes on Iran's Kharg Island, the country's main oil export hub, on Friday night underscored Trump's determination to press ahead with his military offensive. Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has vowed to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed and threatened to step up attacks on neighboring countries.

The war has killed more than 2,000 people, mostly in Iran, and created the largest oil supply disruption ever, while maritime traffic has ground to a halt in the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil is transported.

Oman, which brokered talks before the war, has tried several times to open a line of communication, but the White House has made it clear it is not interested. A senior White House official confirmed that Trump has rejected these efforts to start talks and is focused on continuing the war to further weaken Tehran's military capabilities.

"He is not interested in this right now, and we will continue with the mission without any abatement. Maybe one day it will come, but not now ," the official said.

During the first week of the war, Trump declared on his Truth Social platform that Iran's leadership and military were so hurt by the US-Israeli attacks that they wanted to talk, but that it was "Too late!"

He has a history of changing foreign policy positions without warning, making it difficult to rule out the possibility that he is testing the waters for a resumption of diplomacy.

"President Trump said that the potential new leadership in Iran has indicated that they want to talk and will eventually talk. For now, Operation Epic Fury continues unabated ," a second senior White House official said when asked for comment for this story.

Iranian sources said Tehran has rejected efforts by several countries to negotiate a ceasefire until the US and Israel end their airstrikes and meet Iran's demands, which include a permanent cessation of US and Israeli attacks and compensation as part of a ceasefire.

Egypt, which was involved in mediation before the war, has also tried to reopen communications. The war's impact on global oil markets has significantly increased the cost to the United States.

Some US officials and Trump advisers are calling for a quick end to the war, warning that rising gas prices could come at a high political cost to the president's Republican Party, with the US midterm elections approaching.

Others are pressuring Trump to continue the offensive against the Islamic Republic to destroy its missile program and prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons. Trump's rejection of diplomatic efforts may indicate that, for now, the administration has no plans for a quick end to the war.

In fact, both the United States and Iran appear even less willing to engage than they were in the early days of the war, when senior U.S. officials reached out to Oman to discuss easing tensions. One source said Iran’s top security official, Ali Larijani, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had also sought to use Oman as a conduit for ceasefire talks that would have included U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance. But those discussions have not materialized. / Reuters