The United States warned on Saturday it was “more than capable” of resuming war with Iran after President Donald Trump said any peace deal must adhere to his red lines, including Tehran never being able to develop nuclear weapons.

The White House had signalled Trump was close to a decision on an initial deal after weeks of mixed signals in tenuous negotiations, though Tehran denied there was a final agreement on ending the Middle East conflict that has jolted the global economy.

US sources had told AFP the deal was waiting on Trump’s sign-off, but the president had made no decision after a two-hour meeting in the White House Situation Room on Friday in Washington.

Meanwhile, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, while attending a major Asia defence summit in Singapore, said on Saturday local time that Washington could restart the war if it wanted.

“Our ability to recommence if necessary is (that) we are more than capable, our stockpiles are more than suited for that, both there and around the globe because of how we balance exquisite and more plentiful munitions,” he said.

That echoed the US Central Command (CENTCOM), which posted on X that American forces “remain present and vigilant across the region.”

The efforts to strike a deal mediated by Pakistan were thrown into question this week by US strikes on the southern Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, countered by retaliatory fire from Iran.

Nevertheless, diplomacy continued, including in a parallel process to stop fighting in Lebanon, which Iran has insisted be included in any formal end to the war, and where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Israeli forces had advanced further, even as military delegations from both nations met at the Pentagon in Washington.

Trump’s priorities in any deal included Iran agreeing to never develop nuclear weapons and the reopening of the blockaded Strait of Hormuz maritime route, he said in a social media post in which he also announced the Situation Room meeting.

“President Trump will only make a deal that is good for America and satisfies his red lines,” a White House official told AFP after the meeting.

“Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon,” the official added.