Deal, military strikes or more sanctions? Trump weighs next move on Iran
Photo: US President Donald Trump (Getty Images)
The United States is in no rush to resume military operations against Iran, leaving room for negotiations. At the same time, Washington is considering three possible scenarios for the next stage of the standoff, US President Donald Trump stated in an interview with Axios.
Trump said he sees no need to rush a decision on resuming military operations. According to him, the United States has already inflicted serious damage on Iran's economy, and the country's population is tired of the situation.
"One way or another, we'll do something, but there's no rush. We've blown up their economy. They have no money, no gasoline, and their people are very tired of this," the US president said.
He also assured that Washington is continuing negotiations with Tehran and that they are going well so far. At the same time, Trump believes Iran is trying to push the United States into reaching a deal more quickly.
According to the president, Iran is more interested in reaching an agreement than ever before.
Three scenarios Trump is considering for Iran
According to Axios, three camps have emerged within the US president's team, each with a different view of how Washington should proceed.
The first scenario is to reach a deal with Iran.
This approach is supported by US Vice President JD Vance and White House special envoy Steve Witkoff. They are urging Trump to continue negotiations and look for a way to reach an agreement.
Their argument is that resuming military operations may not produce the desired results or improve the situation.
According to sources cited by the outlet, most Gulf countries also support the diplomatic approach. They have already communicated their position to the US president.
The second scenario is to resume military strikes.
This option is being pushed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
They believe Tehran cannot be trusted in negotiations or expected to honor any potential agreements. Therefore, in their view, the United States should bring the confrontation to an end through military action rather than rely on diplomacy.
The third scenario is to increase economic pressure.
According to Axios, this position is being promoted by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
They are advising Trump not to resume military operations for now, but also not to rush into an agreement. Instead, they propose maintaining the current situation and continuing economic pressure on Iran.
In particular, Ratcliffe argued to the president that this strategy could force Tehran to make greater concessions. Another possible outcome, in his assessment, would be increased domestic instability in Iran, potentially pushing its citizens toward an uprising.
The United States had previously discussed the possibility of resuming military operations against Iran to force Tehran back to the negotiating table. According to The Atlantic, the Pentagon presented Donald Trump with several possible courses of action, ranging from strikes lasting a few hours to a large-scale campaign that could continue for weeks.
Meanwhile, diplomatic contacts between the sides are continuing. On November 1, Qatari mediators concluded another round of negotiations on ending the war, after which a new draft peace proposal began circulating.
