Day 73: US-Iran Ceasefire 'On Life Support' — Trump Weighs Resuming Military Operations; Tehran Says 'Finger on the Trigger'

On Day 73 of the US-Iran war (May 12, 2026), the fragile US-Iran ceasefire was described by multiple outlets as being 'on life support' or 'hanging by a thread' after Trump's May 11 rejection of Iran's counter-proposal as 'TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!' Two US officials told Axios that Trump is now seriously weighing whether to resume major combat operations against Iran as a pressure tactic in negotiations. Trump stated the ceasefire was on 'massive life support,' suggesting it could collapse imminently. Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf declared that Tehran is 'prepared for every option' and has its 'finger on the trigger.' Iran's counter-proposal had demanded recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, a separate nuclear track that would not require dismantlement, sanctions lifted within 30 days, war reparations, and an end to all fronts including Lebanon — terms Trump characterized as 'garbage' in addition to 'TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!' Al Jazeera's live blog and CBS News documented Iran's defiant posture as the diplomatic window narrowed. US intelligence assessed that Iran's leadership remains divided between hardliners and those who see the economic devastation from the naval blockade as unsustainable. Pakistan's FM Ishaq Dar and Qatar remained in contact as intermediaries, but no formal new talks were scheduled. Trump's departure to Beijing was framed in part as an attempt to have President Xi press Tehran — Beijing has unique economic leverage over Iran through oil purchases and trade. Brent crude remained above $108/bbl. The US naval blockade of Iranian ports continued with approximately 31 tankers (~53 million barrels) blocked; approximately 22,500 mariners remained trapped on 1,550+ vessels. The WPR 60-day clock had passed; Congress had not voted to authorize the conflict.