Live update: Frustrated Trump more seriously thinking of restarting combat operations in Iran, sources say
President Donald Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with how the Iranians are handling negotiations to end the war, and some Trump aides say that he is now more seriously considering a resumption of major combat operations than he has in recent weeks.
Trump has grown impatient with the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, as well as what he perceives as division in Iranian leadership that is preventing them from making substantial concessions on nuclear talks, sources familiar with the discussions said. The latest response from Iran, which Trump has deemed both “totally unacceptable” and “stupid,” has led several officials to question whether Tehran is willing to take on a serious negotiating position, they said.
There are different camps within the administration that are recommending alternating paths for how to proceed, the sources said. Some, including officials in the Pentagon, have argued for a more aggressive approach to pressuring the Iranians to the table — including targeted strikes that further weaken Tehran’s position. Others, however, are still pushing to give diplomacy a fair shot, the sources said.
Many in Trump’s orbit want Pakistani mediators to be far more direct in their communications with the Iranians. Some Trump officials have long questioned whether the Pakistanis are aggressively conveying Trump’s displeasure with the state of talks, as Trump has done publicly. Some administration officials also believe that Pakistan is often sharing a more positive version of the Iranian position with the US than what reflects reality, two of the sources said.
There has been an intense push by countries throughout the region and by Pakistan to convey to the Iranians that Trump is frustrated and this is the last chance for them to seriously engage in diplomacy, but it does not appear that Iran is listening or taking anyone seriously, a regional official said Monday.
This official said that the US and Iran are operating on two different tolerances and timelines in their approach to negotiations, and Tehran has withstood economic pressure for decades.
Trump met with again with his national security team at the White House on Monday to discuss options moving forward. Sources familiar with the talks say a major decision on how to proceed is unlikely to be made prior to the president’s departure to China, which is slated for Tuesday afternoon.
CNN’s Zachary Cohen contributed to this report.
