Trump mulls three options for Iran: War or de-escalation could come within days
Photo: US President Donald Trump (Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump met with his top national security advisers on November 5 for the first time since the congressional elections to discuss future plans regarding Iran. There are three possible courses of action on the table, reports Axios.
According to sources, Trump is currently considering three possible courses of action:
- Launch new strikes;
- Continue economically strangling the Iranian regime;
- Reach a deal that would involve significant concessions to Iran.
Rapid de-escalation
While Trump was considering his next steps, active diplomacy was underway on Thursday, including numerous calls between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and regional mediators from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, the UAE, Oman, and Egypt.
Qatari mediators continued discussions with the Iranians and the White House on a draft proposal outlining a series of steps to be taken by both sides over two days to build mutual trust with the aim of reaching a broader agreement.
The proposal includes the following:
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On the first day, the US would lift its naval blockade and unfreeze some of Iran's frozen assets. In return, Iran would send an official invitation to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to send inspectors to the bombed nuclear facilities;
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On the second day, the Strait of Hormuz would reopen, after which nuclear negotiations would resume, focusing on Iran's stockpiles of highly enriched uranium.
Putin ready to step in as a mediator
Axios notes that on November 5, Iranian Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezaei, a key participant in indirect negotiations with the US, met with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin.
The meeting took place days after a phone call between Putin and Rezaei, as well as the Russian offer to act as a mediator between the US and Iran.
Rezaei said he had delivered a message from Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei to Putin. He added that Putin had emphasized his willingness to try to help end the war.
Rezaei said Iran informed Putin that it has presented the Americans with seven conditions for diplomacy, and that until the Americans meet these conditions, neither will the Strait of Hormuz be opened nor will any negotiations take place.
US preparations for strikes
Meanwhile, a US official says that US Central Command is completing preparations for a possible resumption of major military operations in Iran, although no new order has yet been received from Washington.
One indication that the US is planning to resume strikes could be the arrival of a third US Navy carrier strike group in the Middle East.
According to the US official, the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and its strike group will spend several days in Singapore, beginning Friday, during a port visit. The source says they will not reach the US Central Command's area of responsibility before mid-November.
What else you need to know
On November 3, the US held midterm elections for Congress, in which Democrats won control of both chambers.
Against this backdrop, the WSJ reported that divisions within the Trump administration have deepened over what to do next regarding Iran. Some officials are urging Trump to resume strikes but reach a peace deal before the 2028 presidential election. Others advise accepting the losses and winding down the operation.
Trump told reporters that he did not want to destroy what remains of Iran, but said he might have no choice but to do so.
