President Donald Trump convened a White House Situation Room meeting Saturday morning to address the renewed Strait of Hormuz crisis and stalled Iran negotiations, as Tehran’s closure of the waterway and attacks on vessels contradicted Trump’s prediction of imminent deal completion. The session included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, envoy Steve Witkoff, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine.
The emergency gathering occurs three days before the April 21 ceasefire expiration, with a senior official warning that absent breakthrough, war could resume within days. Iran announced renewed Hormuz closure and conducted multiple vessel attacks less than twenty-four hours after Trump claimed agreement could materialize “within a day or two.”
Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir mediated this week in Tehran, with Trump speaking by phone to Munir and Iranian officials. Iran’s Supreme National Security Council acknowledged receiving new American proposals but has not responded, maintaining position that continued negotiations require cessation of blockade pressure.
Trump characterized Iranian actions as “got a little cute” and attempting to “blackmail us,” while confirming ongoing talks and promising determination by day’s end whether deal proceeds. The President’s frustration follows his Friday claim that Iran had “agreed to everything” regarding uranium removal—a characterization Tehran immediately contradicted through Pakistani intermediaries.
The renewed Hormuz crisis reportedly emerged after progress narrowing gaps on enrichment duration and stockpile disposition, suggesting Iranian tactical reversal to extract additional concessions or hardline faction reassertion against compromise.
Source – axios
