President Donald Trump said Saturday that Iran has not responded to U.S. ceasefire proposals and remains in a state of war.

The tension arrives as the U.S. seeks to leverage its relationship with Beijing to force a diplomatic breakthrough. By increasing sanction pressure on Chinese companies that support Iranian drone development, the U.S. government aims to isolate Tehran and shift its posture before a high-stakes meeting between the two superpowers.

On May 9 [2], Trump was questioned regarding the lack of a response from Iran. He said a reply was expected shortly, saying, "It should come tonight. Let's see what happens."

However, former Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Hossein Kananimaghdim offered a different assessment of the current diplomatic climate. He said the two nations are currently in a state of total war, and that Iran will not respond to the U.S. until conditions allow for actual negotiations. According to Kananimaghdim, the doors to discussion are closed.

This diplomatic deadlock occurs four days [1] before a scheduled summit between U.S. and Chinese leaders in Beijing on May 13 [2]. The U.S. is using this window to tighten economic restrictions on Chinese entities providing technical or material assistance for Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles.

There are conflicting reports regarding the status of previous agreements. While current U.S. officials highlight the lack of a response, other reports indicate that Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on April 8 [3], with negotiations beginning on April 10 [3]. The U.S. administration has not reconciled these discrepancies in its current public stance.

“"It should come tonight. Let's see what happens."”

The U.S. is utilizing a 'pincer' strategy by combining direct diplomatic demands with economic pressure on China to influence Iranian behavior. By targeting the Chinese supply chain for drones, the U.S. is attempting to create a cost for Beijing that may be discussed at the May 13 summit, effectively making Iranian compliance a bargaining chip in broader US-China relations.