Citing US officials, the WSJ said Trump has increasingly leaned toward intensifying economic pressure on Tehran, particularly by targeting its oil exports and restricting shipping to and from its ports.
He reportedly views alternatives, such as resuming military bombardment or disengaging from the conflict, as carrying greater risks than maintaining a blockade, it added.
Trump has concluded that the dangers of renewed airstrikes or withdrawal outweigh the benefits, reinforcing his preference for what aides described as a strategy of “economic strangulation.”
As part of any potential agreement, Trump is also said to be insisting that Iran suspend uranium enrichment for at least 20 years, according to WSJ.
Diplomatic efforts to revive talks between Washington and Tehran in Pakistan faltered.
Iran, meanwhile, offered a new plan that would involve reopening the Strait of Hormuz, lifting the US blockade, ending the war, and postponing nuclear negotiations.
US media reports suggest that Trump was unhappy with the proposal, viewing it as potentially undermining US leverage in forcing Iran to dismantle its enriched uranium stockpile and halt enrichment activities.
Tensions remain high on the ground, with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps having warned it could target US naval assets and mobilize allied groups across the region if new attacks are launched.
The United States has already imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports, with Trump warning that US forces would “destroy” any Iranian vessel approaching restricted zones in the Strait of Hormuz.
The blockade is placing mounting strain on Iran’s oil sector. According to data cited by The Wall Street Journal, unsold crude has accumulated significantly, forcing Iran to resort to unconventional storage methods, including abandoned tanks and scrap facilities. Analysts estimate that Iranian oil production could fall to between 1.2 and 1.3 million barrels per day if restrictions persist, with the risk of further declines by mid-May.
'Political liability'
US intelligence agencies are reportedly assessing how Iran might respond if Trump were to declare a unilateral victory in the two-month war that has killed thousands and become a political liability for the White House, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing two US officials and a person familiar with the matter.
The aim is to understand the consequences if Trump pulls back from a conflict that some officials and advisers fear could lead to significant Republican losses in the upcoming midterm elections, according to the sources.
Opinion polls show the war is overwhelmingly unpopular in the United States. Only 26 percent of respondents in a Reuters/Ipsos poll released last week said the military campaign has been worth the costs, while only 25 percent said it has made the US safer.
According to Reuters, several sources briefed on recent White House deliberations say Donald Trump is increasingly conscious of the domestic political toll the war is taking on both his administration and his party.
While no final decision has been reached, and military operations could still be intensified, a swift de-escalation is seen by some advisers as a way to relieve mounting political pressure on Trump, even if it risks leaving Iran in a stronger position to rebuild its nuclear and missile capabilities and challenge US allies.
White House Spokeswoman Anna Kelly said Washington remains engaged in talks with Tehran but will “not be rushed into a bad deal,” emphasizing that any agreement must prioritize US national security and ensure Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon.
Officials say a range of military options remains under consideration, including renewed airstrikes targeting Iranian military and political figures. However, the most ambitious of those options, such as a ground invasion, are now viewed as less likely than in previous weeks.
According to WSJ, one senior official described internal pressure to bring the conflict to a close as “enormous.”
Meanwhile, some assessments suggest Iran has used the ceasefire, which began on 8 April, to dig out launchers, munitions, drones, and other materiel that had been buried by US and Israeli bombing in the opening weeks of the war. This, in turn, could raise the tactical costs of resuming full-scale combat compared with the early days of the truce.
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