"Trump Holds Situation Room Meeting on Iran at the White House," Axios

[Financial News]  \r\n
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Axios reported, citing two U.S. government officials, that President Donald Trump discussed the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz and possible negotiations with Iran in the White House Situation Room on the 18th local time.
CNN also reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director John Ratcliffe were seen entering the White House.
With the two-week ceasefire with Iran set to expire on the 21st, the White House is moving urgently.
Trump said he would begin a second round of talks with Iran over the weekend, but the date of the meeting has not yet been set.
Iran has declared that it will again block the Strait of Hormuz and has continued attacking ships, despite Trump's earlier claim that a peace deal would be reached "within a day or two."
One U.S. government official expressed concern that war could resume within days if a breakthrough is not reached soon.
The Situation Room meeting included Vice President of the United States James David Vance, who is expected to lead the next negotiating team again, as well as foreign minister Marco Rubio, defense minister Pete Hegseth, and finance minister Scott Bessent. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, envoy Steve Witkoff, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine also attended.
According to a source close to the talks, the renewed Strait of Hormuz crisis stemmed from efforts by both sides to narrow their differences over uranium enrichment and enriched uranium stockpiles in Iran.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on the 18th, Trump said Iran was "playing games" and added, "They wanted to close the strait again." He then said, "They can't intimidate us."
Trump also said that, even as traffic through the strait has been blocked again, the United States is still talking with Iran and that later today it will become clear whether the two sides are moving toward an agreement.
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dympna@fnnews.com Song Kyung-jae Reporter