Trump May End Iran Ceasefire if US Troops Killed, Officials Say: Report

US President Donald Trump has privately told aides that he would consider ending the ceasefire with Iran if Tehran becomes responsible for the deaths of American troops, according to US officials cited by the Wall Street Journal.

The officials said Trump has made clear the "weekslong pause" in airstrikes remains in effect despite ongoing "violent skirmishes" and tensions in the region.

According to the news report, the president's position indicates a reluctance to reignite broader military conflict with Iran, even as clashes continue.

Officials suggested Trump may be prepared to tolerate "smaller flare-ups for weeks--or even months" rather than risk a wider war in West Asia.

Meanwhile, the ongoing diplomatic engagements between the United States and Iran have hit a severe impasse following Tehran's rigid demand for the immediate unfreezing of capital at the very start of the process.

Why is the US-Iran diplomatic deadlock deepening over frozen assets?

According to a report by The Jerusalem Post, the diplomatic deadlock stems from Iran's insistence on the release of "liquid cash" from the billions of dollars in frozen assets, already in the very first phase of the agreement.

This gridlock has emerged despite intense backchannel diplomacy aimed at breaking the geopolitical stalemate. Two sources familiar with the developments informed The Jerusalem Post that international intermediaries have spent recent days attempting to broker a compromise on the contentious issue.

However, these diplomatic interventions have yielded little progress, as the Iranian negotiators have refused to budge and continue to demand the release of the funds in Phase A as part of the framework agreement, even before taking any concrete steps on the ground.

This uncompromising stance from Tehran has met with a stonewall response from Washington, which refuses to offer upfront financial concessions.

Senior US officials remain firm that the US will not unfreeze any funds at the outset without a significant Iranian move on the nuclear issue and the Strait of Hormuz.

What did Donald Trump say about progress in US-Iran negotiations?

Despite this deep, fundamental disagreement over the immediate unfreezing of frozen assets, US President Donald Trump announced that diplomatic negotiations with Iran are progressing positively, though he cautioned that a final agreement remains uncertain.

Concurrently, Trump declared Washington's intention to take possession of Iran's enriched uranium.

Speaking at the White House, the US President described the ongoing discussions with Tehran as going "very well", though he acknowledged there was no guarantee of success.

"It might not happen, you know? Who knows," Trump remarked regarding a potential pact, before adding, "But if it happens, it could happen over the weekend."

He further noted, "Anything can happen when you're dealing with Iran."

(With inputs from ANI)