US President Donald Trump said on Friday he was considering a limited strike against Iran, having already ordered a major naval boost in the Middle East to force Tehran to accept a deal curbing its nuclear activities.
When asked by reporters at the White House if he was considering limited military action to force nuclear concessions, Trump said, “I think I can say I’m considering it.”
on Thursday Trump warned that “bad things” would happen if Tehran did not complete the deal within 10 days, a time frame he later increased to 15 days.
Citing two U.S. officials, a Reuters report said U.S. military planning toward Iran had reached an advanced stage with options including targeting individuals in an attack and even pushing for regime change in Tehran if ordered by President Donald Trump.
One US official reportedly noted Israel’s success targeting Iranian leaders during its 12-day war with Iran last year. Regional sources told Reuters at the time that at least 20 senior commanders had been killed, including the chief of the armed forces’ general staff, Major General Mohammad Bagheri.
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Tehran says both sides agree to submit the proposals
After negotiations in Geneva Tehran said the two sides had agreed to submit drafts of a potential deal, which Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described to US media as the “next step”.
“I believe in the next two, three days it will be done and after final approval by my superiors it will be handed over to Steve Witkoff,” he said.
Araghchi also claimed that U.S. diplomats did not insist on halting Tehran’s uranium enrichment activities, a claim that contradicts public statements by U.S. officials. The two adversaries held the opening round of talks on February 6 in Oman, marking their first direct encounter since negotiations broke down during the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel last June – a war in which the US participated by bombing Iran’s nuclear sites.
“We have not offered any suspension and the US side has not asked for zero enrichment,” he said in an interview published on Friday by US television network MS NOW.
“Now we are talking about how to ensure that Iran’s nuclear program, including enrichment, is peaceful and remains peaceful forever,” he added.
Western nations say the Islamic Republic is trying to develop nuclear weapons, which Tehran denies and asserts its sovereign right to enrich for civilian energy. Iran is struggling to secure the lifting of international sanctions that have severely limited its domestic economy.
The financial crunch sparked demonstrations in December that escalated into a massive anti-government movement last month, leading to a state crackdown that human rights groups say has left thousands dead.
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Israel’s military is on “defensive alert” regarding Iran
Meanwhile, Israel’s military said on Friday it was on “defensive alert” as the US signaled potential military strikes, although it noted no changes had been made to civilian security protocols.
“We are closely monitoring regional developments and aware of the public discourse regarding Iran. (The Israeli military) is on defensive alert,” army spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said in a video released Friday.
“Our eyes are wide open in all directions and our finger is more than ever on the trigger in response to any change in the operational reality,” he added, but emphasized that “nothing changes in the instructions.”