White House Says Trump Keeps All Iran Options Open as Diplomacy Continues

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The White House has reaffirmed that President Donald Trump continues to keep every military option available in dealing with Iran, even as reports suggest his administration has temporarily stepped back from expanding military operations in favor of renewed diplomatic efforts.

The administration's position underscores a strategy that combines continued pressure with negotiations, reflecting Washington's attempt to preserve leverage while avoiding a broader regional conflict.

At the same time, prominent security figures are cautioning against placing excessive confidence in any future agreement with Tehran, arguing that Iran's past conduct should shape expectations for future diplomacy.

Responding to media reports that Trump had postponed plans for a wider military campaign, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung told Fox News Digital that the president's approach has remained consistent throughout the conflict.

According to Cheung, Trump continues to favor a negotiated settlement but has not removed military options from consideration if Iran persists in activities threatening regional security or maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

He also argued that the combination of sanctions and nearly two weeks of military strikes had increased pressure on Tehran to pursue negotiations, warning that further escalation remains possible should diplomacy fail.

The administration's message reflects an effort to project flexibility without signaling a reduction in military resolve.

While Washington is encouraging diplomatic engagement, officials continue to stress that negotiations are occurring alongside, not instead of, military preparedness.

That balance is reinforced by ongoing U.S. military operations at sea.

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the naval blockade against Iran remains fully operational, describing continued enforcement actions across regional waters.

According to CENTCOM, U.S. forces have redirected multiple commercial vessels attempting to enter Iranian ports, disabled ships that failed to comply with repeated warnings, and conducted verification boardings to enforce maritime restrictions.

Among the latest operations, CENTCOM said American forces completed a verification boarding of the Comoros-flagged tanker M/T Charminar in the Arabian Sea before allowing it to continue its voyage.

The command also reported disabling the Mozambique-flagged M/T Lavine in the Gulf of Oman after repeated attempts to breach the blockade. U.S. officials said American naval forces remain deployed throughout the region and prepared to continue enforcement operations.

The continued blockade illustrates that although air operations have paused, Washington's broader pressure campaign remains active across multiple domains.

Alongside the administration's official messaging, retired four-star Gen. Jack Keane has offered a far more skeptical assessment of Iran's willingness to comply with any future agreement.

Speaking on Fox News' Life, Liberty & Levin, Keane argued that Tehran's previous actions demonstrate a recurring pattern of violating commitments after reaching understandings with Washington.

He cited what he described as Iran's rapid departure from an earlier understanding concerning maritime access through the Strait of Hormuz, contending that future negotiations should be evaluated against that record rather than on diplomatic assurances alone.

Keane maintained that military objectives, including securing freedom of navigation through the strategic waterway, further weakening Iran's military capabilities and preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, remain essential regardless of diplomatic progress.

His comments highlight an ongoing debate within Washington over how much weight should be placed on negotiations versus sustained military coercion.

The discussion comes as U.S. military operations have entered an uncertain phase.

According to Agence France-Presse, Iran passed another night without American airstrikes after nearly two weeks of continuous bombardment, raising questions about whether the pause reflects a tactical adjustment or the beginning of a broader diplomatic opening.

Reports cited by AFP indicate that concerns over diminishing supplies of Patriot interceptors and other defensive munitions, together with fears of wider regional escalation, have influenced internal deliberations over expanding military operations.

The Associated Press similarly reported that diplomatic contacts have accelerated during the pause, with regional mediators working to reduce tensions between Washington and Tehran.

The agency reported that Oman has continued facilitating technical discussions between Iranian and American representatives concerning maritime access through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that normally carries roughly one-fifth of global oil shipments.

The interruption in airstrikes has also coincided with continued uncertainty across the region.

President Trump has publicly alternated between warning of significantly expanded military action and expressing optimism that negotiations are becoming more productive, while administration officials continue weighing military, diplomatic and political considerations.

Regional dynamics remain equally fluid.

Fighting linked to the broader confrontation has spread beyond Iran, including attacks involving Yemen's Houthi movement and continuing security concerns affecting Gulf shipping.

These developments have reinforced the strategic importance of maintaining maritime security while negotiations continue.

For now, Washington's approach appears designed to preserve maximum flexibility.

The administration continues to present diplomacy as its preferred outcome while emphasizing that military capabilities remain fully available if negotiations collapse.

Simultaneously, continued naval enforcement, sustained sanctions and regional force deployments indicate that the temporary pause in air operations has not translated into a broader easing of pressure.

Whether this combination of negotiations and deterrence ultimately produces a durable diplomatic breakthrough, or merely precedes another phase of military confrontation, remains uncertain.

What is clear is that the United States is attempting to negotiate from a position of sustained pressure, while many within the national security establishment continue to question whether Iran's past behavior leaves sufficient grounds for confidence in any future agreement.