President Donald Trump has announced he is on the verge of deciding whether to launch military action against Iran, a decision expected within the next 10 days. This statement follows the strategic deployment of another aircraft carrier strike group to the region, heightening tensions.
Addressing attendees at the Board of Peace gathering in Washington on Thursday, Trump hinted at the possibility of negotiations, saying, “We may have to take it a step further, or we may not. Maybe we’re going to make a deal. You are going to be finding out over the next, probably, 10 days.”
Reflecting on the airstrikes conducted in June against Iran’s nuclear facilities, Trump claimed that those actions contributed to regional stability. However, some US-aligned Arab nations worry that another attack might destabilize the area.
“It totally decimated the nuclear potential,” Trump explained, “and when it did, when it decimated that, all of a sudden we had peace in the Middle East, because there was a black cloud hanging over the Middle East. And if that wasn’t done, that cloud would have been there.”
Earlier this year, in January, Trump issued a warning to Iran, threatening military action if the government violently quashed anti-regime protests—a threat that materialized as Iranian leaders did exactly that.
In ensuing diplomatic efforts, Trump’s representatives, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, have been engaged in talks centered around Tehran’s controversial nuclear program.
“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, and it’ll 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… bad things will happen.”
