[Iran’s New Proposal Delivered via Pakistan… Trump: “I’m not satisfied”]

Immediately upon receiving Iran’s latest proposal to end the war, U.S. President Donald Trump rejected it, stating he was “not satisfied.” He has publicly declared an extreme binary frame: Iran must either negotiate on his terms or face total devastation. Amidst this, U.S. military leadership has briefed the President on hardline military options—ranging from the deployment of ground troops to hypersonic missiles—signaling a countdown to a "decisive strike."

On the 2nd, AP News reported: “Iran delivered a new peace plan to the U.S. yesterday through a negotiation channel in Pakistan, the mediating nation. However, President Trump stated, ‘They want to make a deal, but I’m not satisfied. We’ll see what happens.’”

The Iranian proposal reportedly contained a phased approach: first ending the war, then addressing core issues related to Iran’s nuclear program in follow-up negotiations. This structure directly clashes with the Trump administration’s fundamental stance, which mandates the abandonment of nuclear ambitions as a prerequisite for any peace talks. Observers note that as long as this discrepancy in the negotiation framework remains, a substantive agreement is unlikely, regardless of how many proposals are exchanged.

In this climate, President Trump’s rhetoric is becoming increasingly harsh. He took a direct aim at the Iranian leadership, calling them “very confused” and stating, “Everyone wants a deal, but they’re all messed up.” This remark publicly reveals his perception that internal conflicts between moderates and hardliners in Iran are undermining the consistency of their negotiation strategy.

Trump added, “They’ve made progress, but I’m not sure they can get to the finish line. There is tremendous infighting in Iran, and they are having a very hard time getting it together.”

[“Short and Powerful Strike”… The Reality of the 45-Minute Briefing]

Meanwhile, Brad Cooper, Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), and Dan Kane, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, briefed President Trump on high-level military options for an attack on Iran. The briefing discussed high-intensity operations designed to paralyze Iran’s national functions, specifically detailing a “short and powerful” strike plan against Iranian infrastructure. This suggests that the U.S. is moving beyond mere diplomatic pressure and is seriously considering a resumption of military action.

The military options presented in the briefing were built on three main pillars. First, an operation to seize parts of the Strait of Hormuz to resume commercial shipping. The possibility of deploying ground troops was raised during this discussion. The strait, through which approximately 20% of the world’s crude oil and LNG flows, is currently paralyzed due to the war.

Second, a plan to deploy special forces to secure Iran’s stockpiles of highly enriched uranium. This operation, targeting the Isfahan region, aims to remove or physically seize the uranium inventory. This strategy—cutting off the nuclear material itself before Iran can possess a weapon—would be interpreted as an act equivalent to a declaration of war, inevitably causing international ripples.

Third, CENTCOM has prepared a short-term, high-intensity airstrike scenario, which includes precision strikes on major infrastructure. President Trump has previously threatened the destruction of Iranian civilian infrastructure, a move that international law experts warn could constitute war crimes. The 1949 Geneva Convention prohibits attacks on essential civilian facilities.

[‘Dark Eagle’ Deployment Requested… A Product of Iran’s Tactical Shifts]

A particularly notable aspect of these military options is the planned forward deployment of cutting-edge hypersonic weapon systems. Bloomberg News, citing an anonymous source, reported that “U.S. Central Command has requested the deployment of the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) ‘Dark Eagle’ to the Middle East, which can directly target Iranian ballistic missile launchers.”

The request for the ‘Dark Eagle’ is driven by Iran’s clever tactical shifts. As Iran strategically moved its ballistic missile launchers outside the range of existing U.S. Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM), a means to strike rapidly from a greater distance became necessary.

The ‘Dark Eagle’ is known to fly at over five times the speed of sound (Mach 5+) and is capable of evasive maneuvers to bypass interception. Although it has never been deployed in a real-world combat scenario, if CENTCOM’s request is approved, it would mark an unprecedented event: the first-ever combat deployment of hypersonic weapons.

[War Powers Act 60-Day Limit Expires… The Administration’s Legal Workaround]

This situation coincides with a critical legal crossroads. The war in Iran, which began on February 28, 2026, with a surprise U.S.-Israeli strike, reached its 62nd day on May 1. This marks the expiration of the "60-day limit after congressional notification" mandated by the War Powers Act of 1973.

The War Powers Act requires the President to report to Congress within 48 hours of deploying U.S. forces into overseas hostilities and to terminate the deployment after 60 days unless Congress authorizes it. Introduced to check unilateral executive military action after the Vietnam War, this act carries the force of law as it was passed by both the House and the Senate.

However, the Trump administration has offered its own interpretation to bypass this legal obligation. During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on April 30, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth argued, “We are currently in a state of ceasefire. My understanding is that during a ceasefire, the 60-day clock is paused or suspended.” Hegseth added that the final determination on legal matters rests with the White House and its counsel.

Republican leadership has aligned with the administration. Senate GOP Leader John Thune stated there are “no plans at this time” to vote on an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against Iran. With Congress entering recess without significant pushback, a trend of tacitly condoning Trump’s wartime authority has formed.

[“President Trump Must Make a Military Decision on Iran”]

In the midst of this, retired General Jack Keane, former Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, argued via the New York Post that negotiating with Iranian leadership is futile and called for the resumption of powerful military operations. Gen. Keane emphasized that the Iranian regime is indifferent to the suffering of its own people and will only yield to the logic of force.

While a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran has lasted for four weeks, negotiations have made no progress due to Iranian non-cooperation. The Trump administration is applying economic pressure by blockading the Strait of Hormuz, but Iran remains steadfast in its refusal of the core condition: abandoning its nuclear program. Gen. Keane suggested that precision strikes on major strategic targets in Iran are the only solution to end this war.

Gen. Keane’s remarks, coming as ‘Operation Epic Fury’ hits the 60-day mark, reflect a blunt conservative "realpolitik" approach to breaking the current deadlock.

He made it clear that the Iranian leadership is a dictatorial regime that places little value even on the lives of its own citizens. Indeed, Iran committed an atrocity by killing approximately 40,000 of its own people during the suppression of protests last January. The idea that issues can be resolved through dialogue with such an anti-humanitarian regime is, in his view, a naive notion that undermines democratic values.

In an interview with Fox News, Gen. Keane asserted, “They clearly don’t care about the suffering of their people.” This cuts to the core of the Iranian theocracy, the root of instability in the Middle East. Despite the Iranian economy being on the brink of collapse due to the economic blockade, their arrogant behavior at the negotiating table proves they have no intention of giving up the "poisonous snake" of nuclear weapons for the sake of the regime’s survival.

Specifically, Iran’s blatant refusal of the Trump administration’s non-negotiable condition—nuclear abandonment—and their walking away from the table is a direct challenge to the international community. Gen. Keane emphasized, “We spent three weeks trying to settle something with these people, but the only option left is to finish what we started.” By “finishing what we started,” he means military strikes to completely neutralize Iran’s war-making capabilities and nuclear facilities.

The target list he proposed is specific: the leadership, ballistic missile bases, remnants of the nuclear program, drone storage facilities, and energy infrastructure. This reflects his confidence that if precision strikes are carried out to choke the Iranian regime, the situation could be concluded in just two weeks. The U.S. already possesses overwhelming military power; all that remains is the resolve to eliminate the "Axis of Evil."

Stability in the Middle East can only be achieved through “Peace through Strength.” Iran’s nuclear armament threatens the survival of allies, including Israel, and endangers global energy supply chains. As Gen. Keane advised, President Trump must not fall for Iran’s stalling tactics but must use military superiority to decisively annihilate the enemy.

It must also not be overlooked that authoritarian states like North Korea and China are watching the progress of this war. If the U.S. shows weakness in negotiations with Iran, it could lead to provocations in Northeast Asia. Showing exactly how the U.S. deals with a rogue regime is the true role that must be performed as the leader of the free democratic camp.

Ultimately, the Iran issue has passed the stage of being solvable through diplomatic rhetoric. In 2020, President Trump recognized Gen. Keane’s insight by awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Now is the time to translate that insight into action. The only way to stop the Iranian regime’s brutal oppression of its citizens and its destruction of the international order is the resumption of overwhelming firepower. To a bully regime, the fire of a precision-guided missile is a much clearer language than a bouquet of dialogue.