Trump considered restarting war with Iran — WSJ
Photo: Donald Trump (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump has been considering the possibility of resuming a full-scale war with Iran. He has held a series of talks on the matter but has decided, for now, to stick to diplomacy, according to The Wall Street Journal.
According to sources, Trump has held several meetings in recent days with Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The discussions focused on whether the US should abandon negotiations and resume full-scale attacks on Iran.
Although no decision was ultimately made, Trump told aides that, in his view, another round of full-scale attacks could derail diplomacy and undermine Washington’s chances of permanently dismantling Iran’s nuclear program.
Trump also told his aides that he is comfortable with negotiations with Iran extending beyond the August 18 deadline for reaching a nuclear deal, which would give the talks more time to proceed.
At the same time, the president said he is currently content with ordering one-off strikes against Iran whenever Tehran violates the memorandum of understanding, which triggered the hostilities over the weekend.
A White House spokesperson noted that Trump always prefers diplomacy, so it would be wise for the Iranians to strike a favorable deal with the US.
US-Iran ceasefire
In June, the US and Iran signed a framework agreement that extended the ceasefire between the parties by 60 days—until August 18. In addition, the document paved the way for discussions on key issues intended to lead to the finalization of a peace agreement.
Following a series of mutual attacks over the weekend, Axios reported that the US and Iran had reached an agreement on an immediate ceasefire. It was announced that the parties would meet in a Middle Eastern country to resolve issues related to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
