6 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 15
Trump returned from China on Friday without approving a next step on Iran, but aides have drafted options to resume military strikes within days.
Iran’s latest peace offer was rejected as unacceptable, leaving talks stalled over reopening the Strait of Hormuz and denying Trump a negotiated exit from the conflict.
The Pentagon is preparing to restart Operation Epic Fury — paused after Trump declared a cease-fire last month — possibly under a new name if he orders attacks.
China has entered the calculations because Xi Jinping’s government backs Tehran and relies on oil and gas moving through Hormuz, though Trump said he did not ask Xi to pressure Iran.
The decision comes as the war has become a political liability for Trump while his stated objective — preventing Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon — remains unmet.
How will Iran's new Supreme Leader, a man Trump calls a 'lightweight', react to the threat of war?
Will renewed military strikes actually prevent a nuclear Iran, or will they provoke the opposite outcome?
Can China's diplomacy succeed where U.S. military pressure has failed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz?
2026 US-Iran Crisis: Fragile Ceasefire, Nuclear Demands, and Escalating Risks for Global Energy Markets
Overview
The report describes how the fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran, established after US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February 2026, is now on the brink of collapse. President Trump’s public rejection of Iran’s latest peace proposal on May 10, 2026, has left the truce on 'life support' and highlighted the deep, unresolved disagreements between the two countries. These fundamental differences—especially over nuclear activities and sanctions—have cast a dark shadow over hopes for de-escalation, making renewed conflict and regional instability increasingly likely.