Trump says Iran 'negotiating on fumes' as peace talks continue, denies midterm elections will influence strategy

May 26, 2026

President Trump asserts Iran is 'negotiating on fumes' as talks to end a three-month conflict enter a critical phase. While a deal could reopen the Strait of Hormuz and see Iran relinquish its enriched uranium, Trump says the U.S. is not yet satisfied. The negotiations are complicated by recent U.S. strikes, Republican criticism of the terms, and unresolved issues regarding a ceasefire's scope over Israel's operations against Hezbollah.

U.S.-Iran peace negotiations

▪President Trump threatened to "finish the job" with military action if a satisfactory deal with Iran is not reached.
▪A key goal of a potential deal is to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which handled 20% of the world's energy supplies before the war.
▪A planned Cabinet meeting on May 27, 2026, was moved from Camp David to the White House, with President Trump citing "possible bad weather."
▪The ongoing peace talks aim to end a nearly three-month-old conflict between the U.S. and Iran.
▪On May 26, 2026, U.S. forces conducted "defensive" strikes on Iranian missile sites and mine-laying vessels.
▪President Trump said the U.S. is not yet satisfied with the proposed terms of the peace deal.
▪President Donald Trump stated that Iran is "negotiating on fumes" and "wants very much to make a deal" to end the ongoing conflict.
▪President Trump claimed Iran's economy is broken, citing "250% inflation" and that its currency has no value.

Uranium stockpile transfer terms

▪The specifics of how Iran would relinquish its uranium stockpile would be determined during a subsequent 60-day negotiation period.
▪President Trump stated he would be uncomfortable with either Russia or China taking possession of Iran's uranium stockpile.
▪A potential deal would require Iran to give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium in exchange for sanctions relief.
▪According to the IAEA, Iran has 440.9 kg of uranium enriched to 60% purity, a step below the 90% weapons-grade level.

Republican criticism of deal

▪Critics are concerned the deal resembles the Obama-era nuclear agreement, which President Trump scrapped during his first term.
▪Republican Senators Roger Wicker, Lindsey Graham, and Ted Cruz have criticized the emerging deal as being too favorable to Iran.

Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire scope

▪A key unresolved issue in the talks is whether a ceasefire would apply to Israeli military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Abraham Accords expansion push

▪Saudi Arabia has maintained that a path to a Palestinian state is a precondition for normalizing relations with Israel.
▪The Abraham Accords are U.S.-brokered agreements from Trump's first term aimed at normalizing relations between Israel and Arab nations.
▪President Trump has requested that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Pakistan join the Abraham Accords as a condition of the Iran deal.

Midterm elections political pressure

▪President Trump accused Iran of attempting to stall negotiations until after the November U.S. midterm elections.
▪President Trump stated that the upcoming midterm elections would not influence his strategy in the Iran negotiations.