US President Donald Trump is reported to be reviewing an expanded set of potential military options against Iran, without specifying any timeline for action. According to US officials, the options go beyond scenarios examined in recent weeks, even as Washington states that no operation has yet been approved and diplomacy remains an official alternative.
Broader set of military scenarios under review
According to multiple US officials, Donald Trump has been presented with an expanded list of possible military options related to Iran. These options reportedly include actions aimed either at inflicting further damage on Iran’s nuclear and missile facilities or at weakening the country’s senior leadership.
Officials spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of ongoing military planning.
Shift from earlier considerations
The current options reportedly exceed those examined approximately two weeks ago, when the US administration was exploring ways to fulfil the president’s stated commitment to halt the killing of protesters by Iranian security forces and regime-linked paramilitary groups.
The context has since shifted, as mass protests in Iran have been violently suppressed, at least for the time being.
Possibility of strikes inside Iran
The options under consideration include the potential for US forces to carry out strikes against targets inside Iran. US officials note that this scenario is now being examined under a different political framework, following the crackdown on demonstrations.
At the same time, the president and his close advisers are assessing whether to proceed with military threats in order to achieve stated objectives, including halting Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions and ending its support for allied groups targeting Israel and destabilising the Middle East.
Position on approval and diplomacy
According to US officials, President Trump has not approved any military operation and has not selected a specific course of action from proposals submitted by the Pentagon. He remains, at least formally, open to a diplomatic solution. Some officials acknowledge that the public display of military pressure is intended to compel Iran to enter negotiations.
White House statement
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly stated: “As commander in chief of the most powerful military force in the world, President Trump has many options at his disposal when it comes to Iran. The president has made it clear that he hopes no action will be necessary, but the Iranian regime must make a deal before it is too late.”
Earlier pause in military planning
During protests that shook Iran several weeks ago, the Trump administration examined strikes on the country’s nuclear programme as well as more symbolic targets, including headquarters of militias involved in suppressing demonstrations.
At that time, President Trump unexpectedly suspended any military action after Iranian authorities announced the cancellation of hundreds of planned executions, and after Israel and Arab states requested that any strike be delayed.
Comparisons with the Venezuela approach
US officials say the president has approached Iran in a manner similar to Venezuela, where US forces were positioned off the country’s coast for months as part of pressure on President Nicolás Maduro.
Efforts to force Maduro from office failed, leading ultimately to a US operation that resulted in his arrest. Maduro and his wife are now being held in a federal prison in Brooklyn.
Officials caution, however, that a comparable operation in Iran would be far more difficult and dangerous, given Tehran’s greater strength and capacity to respond.
Statements on regime change risks
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Senate that managing a potential regime change in Iran would be “even more complicated” than in Venezuela.
Covert operations and commando scenarios
Among the most high-risk options discussed is the covert deployment of US commandos to destroy or severely damage elements of Iran’s nuclear programme that were not hit during US air strikes in June.
Although President Trump has repeatedly stated that Iran’s nuclear programme was “eliminated”, the US national security strategy describes the attacks more cautiously, stating that they “significantly degraded” Iran’s capabilities.
The president has previously expressed strong reservations about deploying ground forces, often citing the failed 1980 hostage rescue mission under President Jimmy Carter, which ended disastrously in the Iranian desert.
Scenarios involving leadership destabilisation
Another scenario involves coordinated strikes on military and political targets designed to create sufficient instability to enable the removal of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
US officials note that it remains unclear who would govern Iran in such a case or whether a successor would be more willing to cooperate with the United States.
Alleged threats against the US president
According to US officials, President Trump is also partly motivated by intelligence concerning alleged attempts by Iranian-linked actors to assassinate him. Federal prosecutors in New York have stated that Iranians were planning an attack against him shortly before his re-election.
Iran signals readiness for talks with conditions
Iran has stated that it is prepared to participate in what it described as “fair and equal” talks with the United States over its nuclear programme, amid rising tensions between the two countries.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said during a press conference in Istanbul alongside his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan that Tehran would not accept dictates or coercion.
“Under no circumstances are we willing to accept dictates or impositions,” Araghchi said. “Nevertheless, Iran is ready to participate in any diplomatic process that is substantive, logical and fair.”
He added that no meeting with US officials has been scheduled and warned that talks cannot take place “under threats”.
Limits on negotiations
Araghchi ruled out negotiations over what he described as Iran’s “defensive capabilities”, including its missile programme. He stated that no country would compromise on matters related to its own security or national defence.
Recent US warnings and contacts
The comments followed renewed warnings from Washington, with President Trump calling on Iran on Wednesday to sign what he described as a “fair” nuclear agreement or face the possibility of another US military strike.
On Thursday, Trump said he was in contact with Iranian officials and planned further talks. “I have already spoken and I intend to continue,” he said, adding that US naval forces were currently moving towards Iran, though he said it would be preferable not to use them. He did not specify whom he had spoken to, but said his message was clear: no nuclear weapons and an end to the killing of protesters.
Turkey offers mediation role
During Araghchi’s visit to Istanbul, Turkey stated that it is ready to assume a mediation role between Iran and the United States in order to help de-escalate tensions.
The offer was made during a phone call between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, according to a statement from the Turkish presidency.
The leaders discussed bilateral relations and the escalation of military tensions in the region.
Araghchi said regional issues are “extremely serious at the moment” and described the challenges facing the region as significant.
Source: New York Times, CNN