President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum Wednesday demanding Iran accept a proposed agreement to end hostilities or face intensified U.S. bombing, declaring on his Truth Social platform: 'If they don\'t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before.' Trump referred to the ongoing U.S. military campaign as 'Epic Fury' and said a deal would bring it to an end.

The ultimatum followed a report by Axios that Washington and Tehran were nearing a one-page memorandum of understanding to halt the war and establish a framework for nuclear negotiations, though Trump later told the New York Post that face-to-face talks in Pakistan were 'too far' and 'too much' to consider. The conflicting statements made it difficult to assess the administration\'s actual diplomatic posture.

Trump announced late Tuesday a temporary pause in 'Project Freedom,' a U.S. military operation to escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz, after only one day of implementation, citing requests from Pakistan and other nations. He stated that the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports would remain, while Iran continued to close the Strait, a key global oil transit route, contributing to rising fuel prices and economic strain at home.

The conflict, launched on February 28, has faced growing domestic opposition due to its economic impact, including higher gasoline prices, and the administration has sought a way to de-escalate. Trump has alternately claimed the war was over and that he had 'all the time in the world' to see it through.

The U.S. and Iran remain at a stalemate over the terms of any agreement, with no official confirmation from Tehran on negotiations. The State Department said it would provide an update on the diplomatic status by the end of the week.