Six months into President Donald Trump's war against Iran, a week of intense diplomacy and renewed military threats has highlighted the increasingly difficult choices confronting the White House as it searches for an exit from a conflict that Trump once predicted would last only weeks.

The president now faces three increasingly unattractive options. He could accept an emerging interim agreement between Iran and Oman that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz while giving Tehran an unprecedented supervisory role over one of the world's most critical shipping lanes.

He could escalate the conflict with another round of military strikes, risking a deeper and potentially longer war. Or he could maintain the current stalemate, prolonging a conflict that has become politically costly at home.

Analysts say each path carries significant military, diplomatic and political risks, leaving Trump with few opportunities to claim a clear victory before November's midterm elections.

The proposed Iran-Oman agreement would mark Tehran's biggest diplomatic gain since the United States and Israel launched coordinated attacks on Feb. 28.

Under the reported framework, Iran would gain limited oversight of vessels entering the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that handles roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.

Such an arrangement would represent a dramatic shift from Washington's original objective of preventing Iran from exercising any formal authority over the passage.

"It’s a menu of bad options, but Trump may have come to the realization that he can't let this war go on endlessly," said Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East negotiator who served Republican and Democratic administrations. "Something has to give, and that may be recognition of a new Iranian reality in the strait."

A U.S. official, speaking anonymously in response to Reuters' questions, disputed suggestions that Iran would oversee commercial traffic, saying any temporary shipping arrangement would allow vessels to move "without any impediments" and without any party controlling transit.

Center of negotiations

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly insisted that the Strait of Hormuz must remain an open international waterway, free from Iranian control, tolls or restrictions.

However, Trump has previously departed from his administration's public messaging on the conflict, leaving open the possibility that he could endorse an agreement many of his own officials have rejected.

Analysts say Trump's flexibility is increasingly shaped by domestic political pressures. Rising gasoline prices, declining approval ratings and growing public opposition to the war have steadily narrowed his room to maneuver.

Despite months of military operations and repeated threats, Iran has shown little willingness to make major concessions. Instead, experts say Washington increasingly appears to be the side considering the larger compromises.

Reopening the Strait of Hormuz is widely viewed as essential before broader negotiations on Iran's nuclear program can resume, which remains the central stated objective of the Trump administration's military campaign.

Whether Washington ultimately accepts any agreement negotiated directly between Iran and Oman remains uncertain.

According to a senior Iranian source and two regional officials cited by Reuters, the proposed framework would give Tehran limited authority over ships entering the Gulf. Trump has said an agreement is close, while Iranian officials continue to caution that key issues remain unresolved.

Even if the interim arrangement is finalized and nuclear negotiations restart, many experts remain doubtful that it will produce a lasting peace. They point to the memorandum of understanding signed by Washington and Tehran in June, which quickly collapsed despite initially providing Iran with limited sanctions relief, a concession that drew criticism from some Republicans.

Midterm politics complications

According to a White House official, administration officials increasingly acknowledge that some form of the conflict is likely to continue through the November midterm elections. In several states, early voting begins as early as September.

That reality presents another political challenge for Trump, who campaigned on reducing U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts and focusing on domestic economic issues. A prolonged war could complicate Republican efforts to maintain control of Congress.

The administration insists political polling is not driving the president's decisions.

A U.S. official told Reuters that Trump's approach toward Iran is not guided by "fluid opinion polls."

Military gains fall short of broader objectives

Although Trump has repeatedly highlighted the deaths of senior Iranian commanders and the degradation of Iran's military capabilities as evidence of success, analysts say many of the administration's broader strategic goals remain unmet.

Last weekend, Trump said he canceled plans for another major wave of attacks after regional allies urged him to give diplomacy more time. At the same time, he warned that the United States would respond forcefully if negotiations fail.

Some analysts believe concerns over U.S. missile inventories also contributed to the decision, although Trump has denied any shortage of munitions.

His messaging has remained mixed.

"I'd rather make a deal because I don't want to kill people," Trump told supporters at a rally in Las Vegas on Wednesday. "But at some point we're gonna."

Iran has warned Gulf states that any renewed U.S. military action would trigger retaliatory attacks on their energy infrastructure, according to five sources familiar with regional discussions.

The conflict is also being closely watched by America's geopolitical rivals.

"They are learning what U.S. limitations are going to be for years to come," said Jonathan Panikoff, a former U.S. deputy national intelligence officer for the Middle East.

Even some longtime supporters of Trump's hardline Iran policy are urging restraint.

Behnam Ben Taleblu of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies argued that Tehran is attempting to force the president into an impossible choice before the elections.

Writing on X, he urged the administration not to rush into further action and instead focus on recognizing where Washington still holds meaningful leverage.