The smell of desperation ...

US President Donald Trump posted online that to avoid a large military attack, Iran must open the Strait of Hormuz and put aside its nuclear programme [Aaron Schwartz/AFP]

The smell of desperation applies as Iran holds all the cards. The strait remains closed, Iran still has ordnance and the US is running out of same. The question to ask is, is Iran even talking?

Why has Trump halted attacks?

Trump earlier said in his post that the US was “locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran” but Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries asked him to hold off on new attacks.

“Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL,”
Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

He said the deal “would include the Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat”.

“The Country of Israel joins me in this commitment. Get to work, everybody, and get it DONE,”
he wrote in the post.

Interesting ... He's demanding total capitulation and pretending it's a negotiation.

The question to ask is two fold. Trump and Bibi can't survive if Iran "wins" as Trump will appear weak and Bibi faces an upcoming election while the hard liners in Iran remain in power.

In closing, people far smarter than me have said, just stop fighting. No negotiation.
Both parties agree to disagree, the Strait reopens and Iran becomes the true hegomon of the region.  

Update: As of 8/3/26 ... 

United States President Donald Trump has described Iran’s leadership as “unbelievably duplicitous”, saying Tehran asked for talks to end the war and then announced that no discussions were being held.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Tehran was pursuing multiple diplomatic tracks and that it was not currently holding direct negotiations with the United States.