President Donald Trump is considering extending the current US-Iran ceasefire and launching fresh nuclear negotiations with Tehran, according to the administration. The move would mark a sharp turn in Trump's often confrontational approach toward Iran, which has included withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal and reimposing crippling sanctions.
The ceasefire in place
Washington and Tehran have observed a fragile ceasefire since earlier this year, brokered quietly through back channels. The truce has reduced tit-for-tat attacks on commercial shipping and proxy forces in the region, though neither side has formally acknowledged its full terms. Extending the ceasefire would buy more time for diplomacy while keeping military tensions contained.
Nuclear talks on the table
Beyond the ceasefire, Trump is also mulling a proposal to sit down directly with Iranian officials to negotiate a new nuclear pact. The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which Trump abandoned in 2018, capped Iran's uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief. Since the US withdrawal, Iran has ramped up enrichment levels close to weapons-grade. Any new talks would aim for stricter limits and longer duration, though Iran has so far insisted the US must first lift sanctions before returning to negotiations.
The White House has not publicly confirmed the president's internal deliberations. Officials familiar with the discussions describe them as preliminary, with no concrete timeline for a decision. Trump himself has sent mixed signals, sometimes threatening military action against Iran's nuclear facilities, other times expressing openness to a deal. His national security team remains divided between hawks pushing for maximum pressure and pragmatists urging a diplomatic off-ramp.
Iran's reaction to the possibility of talks has been cautious. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has long ruled out negotiations with the Trump administration, calling the US untrustworthy. But some Iranian diplomats have left the door open if Washington offers meaningful concessions. For now, Tehran is waiting to see whether Trump's consideration turns into action.
What comes next
No formal announcement is expected this week. The president will likely face a decision within the next month, as the current ceasefire is understood to be time-limited. If Trump moves ahead, the first steps would involve quiet confidence-building measures — perhaps a prisoner swap or partial sanctions relief — before any face-to-face meeting. Whether that path leads to a deal or deeper deadlock is the open question hanging over the White House.
