White House says Iran has days to come to the table before window shuts

Washington, DC — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt opened Monday’s White House press briefing with a stark timeline: US President Donald Trump wants to see a deal with Iran within 10 days, and that deadline is fast approaching.

“Trump wants to see a deal in 10 days,” she said, reiterating the April 6 timeline the administration has been signalling for weeks. “The four-to-six-week timeline for the Iran war remains. Operations will continue until our objectives are achieved.”

Leavitt said the White House is considering all options to maintain pressure on Tehran, including financial contributions from regional partners.

“The president would be quite interested in calling Gulf allies to help pay for the costs of the Iran war,” she said.

Asked whether Arab countries would step up, she added, “I think it’s something the President would be quite interested in calling them to do. It’s an idea that I know he has, and something you’ll hear more from him on.”

Despite the hardline military posture, Leavitt stressed that talks with Tehran are ongoing and productive, even if public statements from Iran suggest otherwise.

“Talks are continuing and going well,” she said. “What is said publicly by Iran is different from what is said to us privately. Iran has agreed to some US points in private talks, and anything Iran says to us privately will be tested.”

She described the remaining members of Iran’s leadership as “increasingly eager” to negotiate, saying the progress has allowed for limited but meaningful compromises. Leavitt highlighted an outcome of these discussions: tanker traffic through Hormuz.

That reference was widely understood to point to the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which a significant share of the world’s oil supply passes. Trump has repeatedly warned that any attempt by Iran to disrupt shipping there would trigger overwhelming US retaliation.

“Tanker movements in the Strait of Hormuz are the result of talks between the US and Iran. This would not have been possible without negotiation. We do not support Iran tolling Strait of Hormuz shipping, and we expect to see 20 tankers transit the strait in the coming days,” she said.

Behind the scenes, officials concede the situation is more fluid.

US forces in the region remain on high alert, and there are growing concerns about the risk of a broader confrontation.

Questions about a potential ground operation have also intensified after reports that the administration is weighing options to secure or neutralise Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile.

Recent US troop movements have reinforced the Middle East presence, with roughly 3,500 Marines and sailors from the 31st MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit) aboard the USS Tripoli arriving around March 27-28.

Additional thousands from the 11th MEU aboard the USS Boxer are en route from the West Coast, and 2,000–4,000 paratroopers from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division are preparing for rapid response, adding to an existing US force in the region.

An ominous warning

A day after suggesting a deal could be reached this week, Trump wrote on his Truth Social network that the US is in "serious discussions" with "a more reasonable regime" in Tehran.

"If for any reason a deal is not shortly reached, which it probably will be, and if the Hormuz Strait is not immediately 'Open for Business,' we will conclude our lovely 'stay' in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!)," Trump added.

Leavitt reiterated the administration’s message of pressure and disruption.

“Iran’s navy, missile programme, and industrial production have been severely degraded,” she said.

She detailed the scale of operations, noting that US forces have conducted more than 11,000 combat flights in the region since the war began.

Monday’s White House briefing underscored the dual-track approach the White House says it is pursuing: relentless military pressure paired with ongoing diplomatic channels.

Leavitt framed the strategy as decisive, insisting the US is in control of the campaign while keeping the door open for Iran to take a cooperative path.

Yet the broader picture remains unsettled.

Several US allies have voiced unease over the scale of military operations, and some have called for restraint as the conflict spills beyond Iran’s borders.

In Washington, lawmakers continue to question the scope and duration of the offensive.

Leavitt brushed aside those concerns. “The United States is leading with strength and clarity,” she said. “We are coordinating closely with our partners and ensuring that our objectives are met.”