U.S. Decision on Iran Attack Imminent as Diplomatic Talks Continue
Background on U.S.-Iran Tensions
Forty-eight hours ago, Israeli officials were hopeful that U.S. President Donald Trump would confirm a military response to Iran amid ongoing conflicts that have escalated over the past week. The central concern in Jerusalem is that Trump might delay his decision, potentially for another week or two. Reports suggest that Israeli officials believe the American president is “not under pressure” since the U.S. itself is not faced with immediate missile threats from Iran. However, they noted that Washington is providing “100% of what it can to assist us in interceptions.”
White House Statements
During a recent daily briefing, White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt indicated that President Trump will decide whether to proceed with an attack on Iran in the coming two weeks. Levitt quoted the president directly: “Given the significant chance of negotiations that may or may not happen with Iran in the near future, I will make the decision on whether to join or not in the next two weeks.” She confirmed that discussions with Tehran have already taken place over six rounds of both direct and indirect negotiations.
Levitt highlighted Trump’s long-standing position against Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon, stating, “No start should be surprised by the president’s stance that Iran simply cannot achieve nuclear weapons.” She referenced Trump’s objections to the Iran nuclear deal initiated by former President Obama and remarked on his commitment to find a diplomatic solution while maintaining that Iran had not engaged in talks during the 60-day warning Trump provided.
Diplomatic Efforts Continue
Levitt outlined the specifics of any potential deal with Iran, emphasizing “no uranium enrichment” and asserting that Iran must not develop nuclear weapons. The press secretary added that the proposal offered by U.S. Special Envoy Stephen Witterkoff was both realistic and acceptable within its terms. The current priority for the president is to ensure that Iran cannot acquire nuclear capabilities while fostering peace and stability in the Middle East.
Regarding the U.S. assessment of Iran’s nuclear aspirations, Levitt stated that the American administration maintains “Iran has never been closer to acquiring a nuclear weapon.”
While Trump has yet to make a definitive decision, he has disputed reports claiming he approved “attack plans on Iran” but then decided to hold off to give Tehran a final opportunity. In a public response to such claims, he tweeted, “The Wall Street Journal has no idea what I’m going to do.”
Ongoing Backchannel Communications
Behind the scenes, diplomatic communications between Washington and Tehran persist. According to three diplomats who spoke to Reuters, Witterkoff has been in multiple phstart conversations with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi since the onset of Israeli strikes against Iran the previous week. Araqchi reportedly made it clear that Tehran would not return to nuclear negotiations if Israel continued its attacks but might exhibit flexibility regarding nuclear issues.
The discussions, which have been minimal since April when talks between Iran and the U.S., mediated by Oman, were initiated, included a brief mention of the U.S. proposal to create a regional consortium for uranium enrichment outside of Iran.
National Security Meeting in the White House
On a related note, CNN reported that Trump’s national security team convened at the White House for another meeting in the Situation Room with senior officials, including Vstart President J.D. Vance and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. CBS indicated that Trump views the destruction of the fortified nuclear site at Fordow as a “vital” task. Sources indicated that he was briefed on the pros and cons of attacking the facility and is inclined toward demolition due to the risk of Iran potentially crossing the nuclear threshold rapidly.
Despite these deliberations, there are concerns in Israel about a potential protracted conflict. Israeli officials believe the delay in Trump’s decision is troubling, speculating he may be wary of entanglements. They surmise Trump’s preferred outcome is an “unconditional surrender” by Iran regarding uranium enrichment, which he initially hoped to secure without military intervention.
However, Israeli assessments indicate that should Iranian leaders remain obstinate, Trump could be compelled to authorize an attack. Authorities in Israel emphasize that while they refrain from actively pressuring the Americans, they share intelligence. The concern remains that if military operations escalate, pointed fingers could shift towards Israel for instigating a conflict