According to US officials speaking to the Wall Street Journal, President Donald Trump recently evaluated the option of a full-scale war against Iran but later abandoned this idea and decided to continue the diplomatic path.
Officials stated that Trump held multiple meetings with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, during which they discussed whether the US should abandon negotiations and restart large-scale attacks on Iran. This assessment was made despite the parties signing a memorandum of understanding on June 18 to end the war.
Diplomatic deadlock brought war option
According to the Wall Street Journal report, the deadlock in the diplomatic process pushed Trump to seek alternative paths. Hegseth and Caine presented Trump with options for restarting large-scale airstrikes on military targets in Iran.
However, US officials stated that Trump has decided for now to settle for diplomatic talks and has repeatedly refrained from approving large-scale operations. Trump had earlier threatened to 'destroy Iranian civilization' and considered seizing Kharg Island, but in both cases he backed down.
August 18 deadline may be flexible
The same sources reported that Trump conveyed to his aides that he is not uncomfortable with exceeding the August 18 deadline set to reach an agreement with Tehran on Iran's nuclear program. The memorandum of understanding calls for negotiations within 60 days for a final agreement.
A White House official, in a statement to the Wall Street Journal, said Trump has always favored a diplomatic solution, and stated, 'It would be wise for the Iranians to make a good deal with the US.'
Vance: Iran did not attack ships
US Vice President JD Vance, in an interview with Fox News, said, 'The President asked us to continue the path of negotiation. If a successful diplomatic solution is not reached, we have many options.'
Vance said that if Iran does not make the necessary concessions, its nuclear program will remain destroyed and its military capacity shattered. Also emphasizing that the Iranians have not attacked any ships in the last two weeks and that oil continues to flow through the Strait of Hormuz, Vance added that Trump 'clearly stated that we will respond if the Iranians attack ships.'
Crisis communication line dispute
US officials claimed that the establishment of a crisis communication line between the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and the US Central Command (CENTCOM) is evidence of improvement in Washington-Tehran relations. A White House official said, 'The conflict prevention channel is open and is already being used by both sides.'
However, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, in a statement made in recent days, said that US officials' claims about the establishment of a direct communication line on the Strait of Hormuz are 'completely fabricated' and stated, 'The strait belongs to Iran, America has no business here.'
Billion-dollar fee crisis in Strait of Hormuz
According to the Wall Street Journal, one of the main points of disagreement currently is Iran's insistence on imposing billions of dollars in service fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. This demand is creating a new source of tension in the negotiations.
