Donald Trump expects "bombing of Iran soon" and openly declares that the window for negotiations is closing. Tehran still hasn't confirmed whether it will send a delegation to Islamabad, and every passing hour increases the probability of military escalation.

Trump was characteristically direct in a statement to CNBC: "We completely control the Strait of Hormuz. The blockade was a huge success. We're in a very strong negotiating position." Then he added: "We'll make an excellent deal. The greatest deal ever. Iran has no choice but to send a delegation to Islamabad."

Diplomacy with a gun on the table

In the same statement, Trump escalated the rhetoric to a military threat: "I expect bombing of Iran soon," adding that the US is "fully prepared for complete military action." This isn't diplomacy - this is an ultimatum with an expiration date.

On the Iranian side, the situation is divided. Some Iranian media claim that Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has approved sending a delegation, with an American team potentially including JD Vance, Jared Kushner, and Steve Witkoff. But other sources suggest Tehran is considering sending a lower-ranked delegation - a sign of domestic skepticism that negotiating after a blockade and tanker seizures would amount to capitulation.

The Balkans are watching this with particular attention. The Strait of Hormuz is the artery through which a huge portion of the world's oil flows. If it ruptures there, energy prices surge everywhere - including here. Whether it's a bomb or a deal, we'll all feel the consequences.