United States President Donald Trump has firmly rejected claims that he is “desperate” to strike a deal with Iran, as he combines threats with diplomatic efforts to potentially bring an end to the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict.

During his first cabinet meeting since the joint US-Israeli operation on February 28, which escalated hostilities, Trump declared that Iran was “taking a beating” and “pleading” for a deal, despite Iran’s denials of such assertions.

Amidst rising oil prices and increasing political pressure to avert a prolonged Middle Eastern war that he previously criticized, Trump dismissed reports suggesting he was seeking an escape route.

“I saw an article today claiming I’m desperate to reach an agreement,” Trump told reporters on Thursday. “It’s quite the opposite. I couldn’t care less.”

For several days, Trump has maintained that Iran is eager to negotiate a deal, even as signs emerge that he might be aiming for a swift resolution to the conflict. Nonetheless, Iran has consistently denied any direct negotiations taking place.

He also lashed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and other allies, singling out Australia, for rejecting his appeals to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, saying he was “a little surprised by Australia”.

During the 90-minute televised meeting at the White House, Trump veered between repeated threats to “obliterate” Iran and claims it was on the verge of capitulating.

“They want to make a deal. The reason they want to make a deal is they have been just beat to sh-t,” Trump said.

“They now have the chance, that is Iran, to permanently abandon their nuclear ambitions and to join a new path forward. We’ll see if they want to do it. If they don’t, we’re their worst nightmare. In the meantime, we’ll just keep blowing them away.”

Citing the original timeframe of four to six weeks that he gave shortly after the US-Israeli offensive began on 28 February, Trump said “we’re extremely, really, a lot ahead of schedule.”

The US leader said Iran had allowed 10 oil tankers to pass through the strategic Strait of Hormuz as a “present” to show it was serious about negotiations to end the war.

The president, who is sending thousands of troops to the Middle East, driving expectations of a ground invasion, also said taking control of Iran’s oil was an option, as the US effectively did with Venezuela after toppling Nicolas Maduro, who appeared in a US court on Thursday.

Speculation has mounted that the US will seek to take control of Kharg Island, Iran’s oil “lifeline”, where 90 per cent of the country’s oil tankers are loaded.

A note seen by Reuters on Tuesday to the United Nations from Iran said “non-hostile vessels” could transit the strait if they coordinated with Iranian authorities.

The Iranian embassy in Spain said on Thursday that Iran would be receptive to any requests from Spain relating to the Strait of Hormuz, because Spain respected international law — the first such concession offered to an European Union state.

Spain has a relatively small merchant fleet but was among the first countries to condemn the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, denouncing the war as reckless and illegal — remarks which drew the ire of Trump, who threatened to impose a trade embargo on Spain.

A Thai oil tanker has passed through the strait following diplomatic coordination with Iran, and Malaysia said its vessels were also being allowed to transit in a sign that restrictions were loosening for some countries.

US proposal ‘one-sided and unfair’, Iran says

Trump’s comments will once again fuel the speculation that has swirled since the start of the war about the 79-year-old’s goals and timeline for the war.

The US-Iran talks have been shrouded in uncertainty since Trump first announced them on Monday and postponed a threat to attack Iran’s power plants.

Trump’s deadline for Iran to unblock the Strait of Hormuz or see its energy network hit is due to expire on Friday, but with just a day to go he said he wasn’t sure if he’d extend it.

“In Trump time, a day, you know what it is? That’s an eternity,” the president said.

But Trump’s global envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed for the first time that the US had sent a 15-point “action list” via mediator Pakistan and said there were “strong signs” Iran might make a deal.

The US proposal for ending nearly four weeks of fighting is “one-sided and unfair”, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Thursday, saying it was “was reviewed in detail on Wednesday night by senior Iranian officials and the representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader“.

It lacked the minimum requirements for success and served only US and Israeli interests, the official said, while stressing that diplomacy had not ended despite the lack for now of a realistic plan for peace talks.

Trump described the Iranians as “great negotiators” but added that he was not sure he was “willing to make a deal with them to end the war”.

US, Israel, Iran continue to trade blows

Meanwhile, the US, Israel and Iran continue to exchange fire.

In Iran, strikes hit a residential zone in the southern city of Bandar Abbas and a village on the outskirts of the southern city of Shiraz, where two teenage brothers were killed, Iran’s Tasnim news agency said. A university building in Isfahan was reported to have been hit.

US and Israeli officials said an Israeli airstrike had killed the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps‘ Navy commander Admiral Alireza Tangsiri.

On Thursday, Iran launched multiple waves of missiles at Israel, striking Tel Aviv, Haifa and other areas, including a Palestinian town in central Israel.

At least one ballistic missile hit Tel Aviv, according to the military, while others carried cluster munitions that dispersed smaller explosives, damaging homes and cars. Israel’s ambulance service said a man was killed in Nahariya after Hezbollah fired a rocket barrage at the northern city.

Israel announced this week plans to take control of large swathes of southern Lebanon, territory amounting to one-tenth of the country — a move that experts say will have severe humanitarian consequences.

Hezbollah has said it would fight to prevent Israeli troops from occupying southern Lebanon, calling it an “existential threat”.

Trump singles out Australia, lashes NATO

During Thursday’s cabinet meeting, Trump spent much of his time lambasting NATO and other allies for rejecting his appeals to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, through which around a fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes.

He blasted the British aircraft carriers London eventually offered as “toys” compared to their US equivalents.

“I’ve done a great favour for the world. The world has not been reciprocal,” Trump said. “I believe that’s going to cost them dearly.”

He also singled out Australia. “Australia was not great. I was a little surprised by Australia,” he said, as reported by the ABC and other news outlets.

It followed remarks he made over a week ago, in which he also lashed out against Australia in a tirade aimed at NATO and other countries for not meeting his call for aiding the US in the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump’s top officials also chimed in.

Top US diplomat Marco Rubio appeared to quote rappers Public Enemy as he said that “every day, the Department of War lets the drummer get wicked over every portion of Iran”.

US secretary of defense Pete Hegseth hailed Trump for “doing the work of the free world”.

“We pray for a deal, and we welcome a deal,” Hegseth said. “But in the meantime … the Department of War will continue negotiating with bombs.”

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The prime minister has rejected the Opposition’s demands for a reduction in the fuel excise—a tax applied to fuel purchases. However, he emphasized that the government is actively exploring various cost-of-living initiatives to aid Australians as fuel prices continue to escalate.

The Strait of Hormuz, a crucial and narrow passageway that facilitates the transport of nearly 20% of the world’s oil and gas, has been effectively closed since conflict erupted in the Middle East on February 28.

This closure has driven diesel prices in parts of Australia to exceed $3 per litre, while regular unleaded petrol prices have surged to an average of approximately $2.38 per litre, according to data from NRMA Insurance.

In Australia, the tax composition on fuel, which includes both the fuel excise and GST, contributes 52 cents per litre to the overall price. The remainder of the cost is set by petrol retailers.

When questioned about the possibility of reducing the fuel excise, the prime minister stated that such proposals are a matter for the Opposition to pursue.

“They’ve called also for cuts to things that are making a difference to cost of living, such as batteries that are making a positive difference,” he added.

Albanese acknowledged the impact of the war on Australians and announced six tankers of jet fuel will arrive in Australia between tomorrow and 8 April from China and other suppliers.

“Our government is undertaking every practical measure required to shield our nation from the worst of the global uncertainty, which is out there,” he said.

“This war is real. This war is having an impact on Australians like it’s having an impact right around the world.”

The prime minister reiterated that a National Cabinet meeting would be convened with state leaders next week to discuss a united approach to fuel shortages.

“While Australia’s fuel supply outlook remains secure over the near term due to the actions that the government’s taken to date, the government has been clear that the longer this war goes on, the greater the impact will be. But we continue to act to prepare and shield Australians from the worst of it.”

The Australian government insists it still has not received any direct requests from the United States for military aid in its war with Iran, after a public attack from US President Donald Trump.

Overnight, Trump criticised allied countries for not providing assistance in the conflict, as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to put pressure on global oil prices.

“[UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer] didn’t want to help us,” he said “Australia, too. Australia was not great. I was a little surprised by Australia.”

Australia is providing military assistance in the Persian Gulf region following a request from the United Arab Emirates.

“President Trump, it’s up to him to explain his comments, but, of course, I make the point as well that Australia wasn’t consulted before this action was undertaken,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters in Canberra, referencing the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran that ignited the conflict.

Speaking alongside the prime minister, Energy Minister Chris Bowen said port sales figures show diesel sales are strong.

“Those figures show me that the demand is very high still, and the supply is also increasing and has increased,” he said.

“Obviously, as I’ve said, the government has always acknowledged there are real and unacceptable shortages in regional Australia, as the demand has spiked so much, and it’s taken time for that strong domestic supply we have to flow through to regional areas to cater for that increased demand.”

Earlier on Friday, Defence Minister Richard Marles would not be drawn on the president’s criticism, but said no requests from the White House have been received.

“The last thing I’m going to do is give a running commentary on what the president has said, all we can do is respond to this situation, respond to the requests that are made of us,” he told ABC TV.

“We’re looking at all the requests that we get from countries around the world, including the United States, and obviously we answer them in the context of our national interest.

“Defending the states of the Gulf is really important given our relationship with them.”

An E-7A Wedgetail military surveillance plane, along with 85 defence personnel, was sent to the UAE to monitor Iranian drone strikes.

The request for help from the UAE has been the only one received by Australia since the US-Israel war with Iran began, Marles said.

“The E-7 is in the region, and it is playing a really important part,” he said.

“It is playing an important role in respect of the defence of the Gulf states. We will work this through with our with our friends and our partners, to look at what role we can play.

The US president has extended a self-imposed deadline to Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to 6 April before potential strikes on energy infrastructure.

Coalition frontbencher Sarah Henderson said the government needed to outline why military help had not been provided to the US.

“It’s quite embarrassing that in the international stage we have been called out as not providing appropriate assistance to the US,” she told Sky News.

“The US is our strongest defence ally. This is pretty grim news overnight from the United States.”

— With additional reporting by Australian Associated Press.

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