US President Donald Trump is facing mounting pressure from allies, military advisers and fellow Republicans as the conflict with Iran drags on, with no immediate breakthrough in diplomacy and growing fears that the crisis could widen further.

While Trump has repeatedly insisted that Iran wants a deal, officials say direct negotiations are not expected to resume anytime soon. At the same time, the president is receiving conflicting advice from two of Washington’s closest partners in the Middle East Israel, which believes pressure on Tehran should intensify, and Saudi Arabia, which is urging de-escalation.

The contrasting positions emerged during two high-level White House meetings held on consecutive days this week, reflecting the difficult choices confronting the Trump administration.

Israel, Saudi Arabia Deliver Opposing Messages

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday, where the two discussed Iran and possible next steps, according to Israeli officials familiar with the meeting. Netanyahu reportedly expressed doubts that diplomacy with Tehran would succeed and instead discussed ways to increase pressure on Iran, including the possibility of resuming a full-scale military campaign.

The following day, Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman arrived at the White House on an unannounced visit carrying a message from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. According to people familiar with the talks, the Saudi leadership urged Trump and Vice President JD Vance to work towards de-escalation, warning that a prolonged conflict would increase risks across the region.

Although the meetings were scheduled independently, they highlighted the competing expectations of two key US allies.

Diplomatic Path Remains Uncertain

Despite Trump’s public assertion that Iran is “begging" for a deal, officials say diplomatic efforts have made little progress.

A senior US official said direct talks with Tehran do not appear imminent. Instead, American officials believe influential figures inside Iran remain committed to maintaining pressure through threats to the Strait of Hormuz and continued missile attacks targeting US forces.

Officials also said Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Iran’s refusal to accept his demands, leading to tense discussions within the administration and heated conversations with allies.

Seeking fresh momentum, Trump convened his Cabinet at Camp David on Friday, hoping to revive efforts to end the conflict.

“I think we just want to win," Trump said when asked about restarting diplomacy. “They’ll get weaker. They’ll get a little stronger maybe now. Then they’ll get weaker. And then they’ll peter out."

Military Escalation Still Being Considered

Even as diplomatic efforts remain stalled, military options continue to be reviewed.

According to US officials, Central Command has prepared plans for a one-to-two-week bombing campaign targeting Iran’s missile infrastructure should Trump authorise broader military action.

Asked whether he planned to escalate further, Trump said, “We’re going big. We’ve already gone big." However, senior military officials have cautioned that air strikes alone are unlikely to achieve all of Washington’s objectives.

Appearing before lawmakers last week, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine warned that “air power has its limits."

Trump has so far stopped short of approving wider strikes, partly because of concerns raised by Caine over dwindling stocks of air defence interceptors. Other officials have also warned that attacks on major infrastructure, including bridges and water desalination facilities, could result in high civilian casualties.

“Who am I hurting there? I’m hurting the people, so I’m not looking to do that," Trump said during an interview with Fox News.

Strait Of Hormuz Becomes Immediate Focus

With military escalation carrying significant risks, regional diplomatic efforts are now focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

People familiar with the discussions said negotiators are exploring a limited agreement centred on restoring shipping through the strategic waterway, allowing both sides to lower tensions after differing interpretations of last month’s memorandum of understanding.

The issue has also become politically important for Trump at home.

According to Republican operatives, party leaders are increasingly worried that prolonged disruption in the Strait could drive up fuel prices and hurt Republican candidates in next year’s midterm elections.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the administration continues to pursue a negotiated outcome.

“Obviously, we want success there. We think that we’ve achieved a high level of military success there," Thune said. “The question on the Strait of Hormuz is something that obviously the president and his team are trying to continue to negotiate, and hopefully they’ll land an outcome or a solution there in the near future."

The White House maintained that pressure on Tehran would continue until it returns to negotiations on terms acceptable to Trump.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accused Iran of violating the memorandum of understanding by attacking commercial ships and killing American troops.

“The United States signed an MOU with Iran and they broke it, shot at commercial ships, and killed American soldiers. President Trump is not going to stand by and allow this terrorist behavior to occur. Iran will continue to pay until they come to the table in, what President Trump deems, a meaningful way," she said.

Growing Uncertainty Inside Iran

Officials also believe internal divisions within Iran are making diplomacy more difficult.

While mediators including Qatar and Pakistan continue efforts to restart talks, US officials fear the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) now exercises greater control over decision-making than the political figures previously engaged by Washington.

Competition among senior IRGC commanders has further complicated the situation, raising concerns that the conflict could continue for an extended period.

Trump himself acknowledged uncertainty over who is making decisions inside Iran.

“It was a different group than we’re dealing with," he said while referring to recent Iranian attacks on US positions. “They’ve already apologized."

Speaking later at Camp David, Trump again voiced frustration with Tehran.

“People want to talk, but they break their words so often. All they do is make me angry," he said.

Despite those concerns, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner remain optimistic that a diplomatic agreement can still be reached.

Political Pressure Builds At Home

The prolonged conflict is also creating political challenges for Trump. Officials said heightened threats from Iran forced changes to the president’s travel arrangements earlier this month, including switching Air Force One aircraft during his return from Turkey. Reports about the move reportedly angered Trump after they became public.

Some Republican allies are also concerned the Iran conflict could overshadow Trump’s presidency and weaken the party’s prospects in the midterm elections. A media poll released this week found that only 28 per cent of Americans approve of the president’s handling of the war.

Trump Signals More Strikes, But Leaves Door Open For Talks

Despite receiving sharply different advice from Israel and Saudi Arabia, it remains unclear which course Trump is leaning towards.

Israeli officials said Netanyahu stressed during their meeting that Trump would ultimately decide Washington’s next move, even as they discussed tougher military and economic measures against Tehran.

Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, maintained that de-escalation remains the best path forward. According to people familiar with the discussions, Riyadh believes Iran will continue trying to gain leverage through escalation and by using allied militias in Iraq and Yemen, even though recent joint US-Saudi operations against Iran-backed groups were intended solely to protect Saudi interests and deter further attacks.

“The minister’s underlying message … is that it’s Netanyahu who is pushing for this escalation, whereas the Kingdom wants to de-escalate," a source familiar with the discussions told media.

Source: News18