The administration of United States President Donald Trump rejected efforts by Middle Eastern allies to launch diplomatic talks aimed at ending the Iran war that began with a massive US-Israeli airstrike two weeks ago, according to three sources familiar with the efforts.Two senior Iranian sources told Reuters that Iran rejected the possibility of any ceasefire until the US and Israeli attacks ended, adding that several countries had tried to mediate an end to the conflict, Reuters reported.The lack of interest from Washington and Tehran suggested both sides were preparing for an extended conflict, even as the broader war increased civilian casualties and Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz sent oil prices soaring. The war killed more than 2,000 people, mostly in Iran, and caused the largest-ever oil supply disruption as it halted maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is transported.The US attack on Iran’s Kharg Islands, the country’s main oil export hub, on Friday night underlined Trump’s determination to step up his military offensive. Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei vowed to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed and threatened to step up attacks on neighboring countries.Oman, which had mediated talks before the war, tried several times to open a line of communication, but the White House made clear it had no interest in it, according to two sources who, like others in this story, were granted anonymity to speak freely about diplomatic matters. A senior White House official confirmed that Trump rejected those efforts to start negotiations and focused on escalating the war to further weaken Tehran’s military capabilities.The official said, “They have no interest in it right now, and we will continue the mission uninterrupted. Maybe one day, but not now.”During the first week of the war, Trump wrote on his Truth social platform that Iran’s leadership and military were so battered by the American-Israeli attacks that they wanted to talk, but “it was too late!” He has a history of changing foreign policy stances without warning, making it hard to rule out that he may be tempted to restart diplomacy.Asked to comment for this story, a second senior White House official said, “President Trump said the new potential leadership in Iran has indicated they want to talk and will eventually talk. For now, Operation Epic Fury continues unabated.”Iranian sources said Tehran rejected attempts by several countries to negotiate a ceasefire unless the US and Israel stopped their airstrikes and met Iran’s demands, which included a permanent halt on US and Israeli attacks and compensation as part of the ceasefire.Egypt, which was involved in mediation before the war, also tried to reopen communications, according to three security and diplomatic sources. Although the efforts made no progress, according to one of the sources, they achieved some military restraint from neighboring countries influenced by Iran.The Egyptian Foreign Ministry, the Government of Oman and the Iranian Government did not respond to requests for comment.The effects of the war on global oil markets significantly increased costs to the United States. Some US officials and Trump advisers have urged a quick end to the war, warning that rising gasoline prices could exact a high political cost to the president’s Republican Party as US midterm elections approach.Others pressed Trump to continue aggressive action to dismantle the Islamic Republic’s missile program and prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons, Reuters reported.Trump’s rejection of diplomatic efforts may indicate that, for now, the administration has no plans to end the war quickly. Indeed, according to multiple sources, both the United States and Iran appeared less willing than in the early days of the war, when senior US officials arrived in Oman to discuss de-escalation.Iran’s top security official, Ali Larijani, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also sought to use Oman as a medium for ceasefire discussions, which would also be attended by US Vice President JD Vance, a source said. But those discussions did not come to fruition.Instead, Iran’s position hardened, said a third senior Iranian source.“Whatever was communicated earlier through diplomatic channels is now irrelevant,” the source said.“The Guards firmly believe that if they lose control of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran will lose the war,” the source said, referring to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, an elite paramilitary force that controls large parts of the economy.“Therefore, the Guards will not accept any ceasefire, ceasefire negotiations or diplomatic efforts and Iran’s political leaders will not engage in such talks, despite efforts by many countries.”