US President Donald Trump said he believes 10 to 15 days is “enough time” for Iran to reach a deal. Insiders told Reuters that a US strike would be unlikely to take the form of a short, surgical operation, as was seen last year in the bombing of an Iranian nuclear facility but rather a sustained campaign lasting weeks, effectively amounting to open warfare. The movements of additional American warships and airplanes, with the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier near the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea, do not guarantee a US strike on Iran — but it bolsters Mr Trump’s ability to carry out one should he choose to do so.
Last month, Mr Trump announced that a “beautiful armada” had set sail for the Middle East as he urged Tehran to make a deal with the United States.
He has so far held off on striking Iran after setting red lines over the killing of peaceful protesters and mass executions, while reengaging in nuclear talks that were disrupted by the war in June.
This week, Iran announced the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday for live fire military drills in a rare show of force as its negotiators held another round of indirect talks with the US in Geneva over its disputed nuclear programme.
As the talks began, Iran’s state media announced that it had fired live missiles towards the Strait and would close it for several hours for “safety and maritime concerns”.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei meanwhile warned that “the strongest army in the world might sometimes receive such a slap that it cannot get back on its feet”.
Iran’s foreign minister later adopted a different tone, expressing optimism about the talks and saying “a new window has opened” for reaching an agreement.
“We are hopeful that negotiations will lead to a sustainable and negotiated solution which can serve the interests of relevant parties and the broader region,” Abbas Araghchi told a UN disarmament conference after leading the Iranian delegation at the talks held in Geneva.
He added that Iran “remains fully prepared to defend itself against any threat or act of aggression”, and that the consequences of any attack on Iran would not be confined to its borders.
Asked for comment on the preparations for a potentially sustained U.S. military operation, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said: « President Trump has all options on the table with regard to Iran. »
« He listens to a variety of perspectives on any given issue, but makes the final decision based on what is best for our country and national security, » Kelly said.
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