Tensions between the United States and Iran appear to be entering a critical phase after President Donald Trump suggested that military action remains a possibility if ongoing nuclear negotiations fail.
Speaking at Thursday’s inaugural Board of Peace meeting, Trump indicated that Iran may have a limited window to reach an agreement with the U.S. administration. He signaled that a decision could come soon if diplomatic efforts stall.
“Now is the time for Iran to join us on a path that will complete what we’re doing. And if they join us, that’ll be great. If they don’t join us, that’ll be great too. But it will be a very different path,” Trump said. “They cannot continue to threaten the stability of the entire region, and they must make a deal, or if that doesn’t happen, I maybe can understand. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. But, bad things will happen if it doesn’t. So now we may have to take it a step further, or we may not. Maybe we’re going to make a deal. You’re, you’re going to be finding out over the next probably 10 days.”
Later, while traveling aboard Air Force One, the president said that 10 to 15 days would be “enough time” for Iran to decide whether to reach an agreement.
According to reporting from The Wall Street Journal, the administration is reviewing a range of military options. These reportedly include a limited set of targeted strikes against Iranian government and military infrastructure, as well as broader operations aimed at weakening the country’s leadership.
Defense analysts caution that any military action could provoke retaliation from Iran and risk escalating into a wider regional conflict.
Meanwhile, U.S. military deployments in the region are continuing. The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is reportedly en route to the Mediterranean Sea, where it is expected to join the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group already operating in the area. Additional U.S. warplanes have also been repositioned to bases in Europe and the Middle East.
Reporting from CNN suggests that U.S. forces could be in a position to act as early as this weekend, should a decision be made.
International reaction has begun to emerge as the situation develops. In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has reportedly declined a request to allow U.S. forces to use certain British air bases for a potential preemptive strike. The decision was said to be based on legal considerations and concerns about escalation.
At the same time, diplomatic efforts are ongoing. U.S. and Iranian representatives participated in mediated talks earlier this week. While administration officials described the discussions as showing some progress, they acknowledged that no agreement has yet been reached.
