‘Clock Is Ticking’: If Iran Ignores Trump’s Deadline, What Military Options Does US Have?

Last Updated:May 18, 2026, 12:02 IST

Trump’s latest remarks come as US and Israeli officials reportedly step up preparations for a possible return to conflict following weeks of stalled negotiations.

US President Donald Trump has once again raised the pressure on Iran, warning that Tehran could face severe military consequences if it does not move quickly towards a deal. “The clock is ticking," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“They better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them," he added. “TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!"

The warning comes amid renewed signs that the White House is actively reviewing military options against Iran even as diplomatic channels remain open. According to Axios, Trump is expected to convene a Situation Room meeting on Tuesday with his top national security advisers to discuss possible military action.

The developments come after weeks of stalled negotiations, rising tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and growing concerns in Washington and Israel that diplomacy may no longer be enough to force Tehran into accepting American demands.

But despite the increasingly aggressive rhetoric, Trump has not yet announced any final decision on military action.

What Triggered Trump’s Latest Warning To Iran?

Trump’s latest comments came after Iran reportedly rejected key parts of a US-backed proposal linked to its nuclear programme.

According to Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency, the US had demanded that Tehran hand over 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium, limit operations to a single nuclear facility and accept that Washington would not pay compensation for war-related damage.

The report also claimed the US refused to release even a quarter of Iran’s frozen overseas assets and wanted military operations linked to the conflict halted as negotiations progressed.

Iran, in response, reportedly laid out five preconditions for returning to talks. According to Fars, Tehran said negotiations could resume only if military operations across the region — particularly in Lebanon — ended, sanctions were lifted, frozen Iranian assets were released and compensation for war damage was addressed. Iran also reportedly demanded recognition of its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian media reports said Tehran conveyed its response through Pakistan, which has been acting as a mediation channel between the two sides.

Speaking to Axios, Trump said Iran’s latest proposal was not acceptable and warned that Tehran would be “hit badly" if negotiations failed.

“We want to make a deal. They are not where we want them to be. They will have to get there, or they will be hit badly, and they don’t want that," he said.

Before leaving for China, Trump had also warned Tehran that it faced only two outcomes. “They’re either going to make a deal or they’re going to be decimated," he said last week.

What Military Options Are Reportedly Being Discussed?

Although no fresh operational details have officially emerged ahead of Tuesday’s Situation Room meeting, several military options are already believed to be on the table within the Pentagon and CENTCOM.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth recently acknowledged that military escalation plans exist. “We have a plan to escalate if necessary," Hegseth told lawmakers during congressional testimony last week. At the same time, he also said there were plans to scale back deployments if tensions eased.

Gen Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, similarly said the US military retained “a range of options" for civilian leadership.

One of the primary options reportedly involves a renewed wave of large-scale airstrikes targeting Iranian military and strategic infrastructure tied to the country’s defence and nuclear programme.

Another military option reportedly under discussion focuses on taking over part of the Strait of Hormuz to reopen it to commercial shipping. The NYT earlier reported that Iran has restored operational access to 30 of the 33 missile facilities it maintains near the Strait, a development that could again threaten oil tankers and US naval vessels passing through the narrow waterway.

Another reported scenario involves deploying Special Operations troops to target Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium buried deep underground at the Isfahan nuclear facility. Several hundred Special Operations personnel were sent to the Middle East earlier this year, specifically to preserve that capability.

Reports have also suggested that US troops could potentially be used in efforts to seize or secure Kharg Island, one of Iran’s most important oil export hubs, as part of a broader strategy to further weaken Tehran’s economic leverage. However, such an operation would require significantly larger ground deployments and carry far greater escalation risks.

How Is Iran Responding?

Iran has also signalled that it is preparing for the possibility of renewed conflict.

“Our armed forces are ready to deliver a well-deserved response to any aggression; mistaken strategy and mistaken decisions will always lead to mistaken results," Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s Parliament, wrote on social media.

“The whole world has already figured this out. We are prepared for all options; they will be surprised."

The atmosphere has become even more tense following a drone incident involving the United Arab Emirates. According to Axios, a drone struck the UAE’s Barakah nuclear power plant on Sunday, damaging an electrical generator outside the facility’s inner perimeter. Two other drones were intercepted.

While the UAE did not directly accuse Iran, diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash described the targeting of the facility as a “dangerous escalation".

“The targeting of the Barakah nuclear energy plant, whether carried out directly by the principal actor or through one of its proxies, represents a dangerous escalation and a dark development that violates all international laws and norms, with criminal disregard for the lives of civilians in the UAE and its surroundings," he wrote on X.

The worsening security environment has already rattled energy markets. According to Axios, Brent crude prices rose over 2 per cent to around $111 a barrel in early trading on Sunday amid concerns that the diplomatic impasse could spiral into a broader regional conflict.

For now, however, the central question remains whether Trump ultimately chooses coercive diplomacy or military escalation.

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