President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum Wednesday for Iran to accept a deal to end the war or face intense renewed US bombing, the latest in a series of abrupt policy shifts.
"Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is perhaps a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform," using the US name for its military campaign against Iran.
"If they don't agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before."
He later said in an interview with PBS he was optimistic about reaching an agreement with Iran before his scheduled trip to China next week.
"I think it's got a very good chance of ending, and if it doesn't end, we have to go back to bombing the hell out of them," Trump told the broadcaster.
He was also asked about reports that under a proposed deal, Tehran would "export" its highly enriched uranium, possibly to the United States.
"No, not perhaps. It goes to the United States," Trump said without explaining how this key point of contention would be resolved.
Iran has steadfastly refused to give up its enriched uranium, which it insists is not for making a nuclear bomb.
Trump's social media post came after US news outlet Axios reported that Washington and Tehran were close to agreeing on a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war and set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations.
A short time later, however, the president told the New York Post it was "too far" and "too much" to think about face-to-face talks with Iran in Pakistan, which has been mediating a peace deal between the two sides.
It remained difficult to discern Trump's stance on how to end the war.
The 79-year-old Republican has repeatedly asserted he has "all the time in the world" for the high-stakes conflict, but also recently signaled to Congress that the war, launched on February 28, was already over.
Trump and his administration are seeking an exit from the conflict, which is deeply unpopular with the American public and has driven up the price of gasoline, among other costs.
Trump late Tuesday announced a pause in a US military operation to guide stranded commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz -- after only a day -- citing a chance to seal a deal to end the war.
The US leader said Washington's blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place as Tehran kept up its own closure of the vital trade route, which has rocked markets and spiked fuel prices.
Trump wrote on social media that the surprise decision to halt his so-called "Project Freedom" came after requests from "mediator Pakistan and other countries", saying "Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement" with Tehran.
"We have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom... will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed," Trump wrote late Tuesday.
