Trump Briefed on Options for Full War with Iran, Temporarily Opts for Diplomacy

Key News on US-Iran War

(CNA Washington, July 30, Combined Reports) Informed officials revealed that U.S. President Trump recently held multiple meetings with Secretary of War Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Caine to weigh whether to restart a full-scale war with Iran and conduct more airstrikes, but has currently decided to temporarily maintain diplomatic negotiations.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that officials stated the focus of the meetings was whether the U.S. should abandon negotiations and resume large-scale attacks on Iran, with some officials describing this move as "mission accomplished."

Although Trump has not made a final decision, he has told his staff that he believes another round of full-scale attacks could undermine the diplomatic process and damage Washington's chances of ultimately dismantling Iran's nuclear program.

Officials revealed that Trump also told his staff that it would be acceptable if negotiations with Tehran exceeded the nuclear deal deadline of August 18, a decision that has bought more time for negotiations.

At the same time, Trump stated he is currently satisfied with ordering a single strike when Iran violated the "Memorandum of Understanding" (MOU); the exchange of fire over the weekend has damaged the fragile ceasefire agreement reached two weeks prior.

It is not uncommon for the Pentagon to brief Trump on military options in conflicts, and Trump frequently holds formal and impromptu meetings on the Iran issue. However, the latest discussions indicate he is seeking ways to break the stalemate with Tehran and has not ruled out the possibility of resuming combat.

Some officials admitted that restarting the conflict would be tantamount to acknowledging the failure of the much-touted Iran deal.

Trump has stated publicly that negotiations are progressing and that he still reserves the military option if negotiations break down. He told reporters last week, "They are agreeing to everything I want, and they have to. Otherwise, we go back to what we were doing."

A White House official stated that Trump's preference has always been diplomacy, and it would be wise for Iran to reach a good agreement with the U.S. Spokespersons for Hegseth and Caine declined to comment on the report.

U.S. Vice President Vance stated in an interview with Fox News today, "The President has asked us to look at the issues and see where negotiations lead. If diplomacy does not lead to a successful resolution, we still have many options, and we have achieved many things for the American people."

Officials and analysts pointed out that after the U.S. and Iran agreed to 60 days of negotiations, the talks are currently in their second week.

A key point of contention is Iran's insistence on charging billions of dollars in service fees for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the U.S. states that this waterway should be freely accessible as it was before the war. Although Trump insists Iran previously made commitments, Tehran states it will not accept strict limitations on its nuclear program.

To ease tensions, the U.S. has begun establishing a crisis communication hotline between the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and U.S. Central Command (U.S. Central Command).

Some U.S. officials view this effort as evidence of improved relations between Washington and Tehran, while others warn that the mechanism is still in its early stages of development. The White House official stated that this de-escalation channel is open and is being used by both sides.

The diplomatic stalemate has prompted Trump to consider alternatives and seek new ideas from his staff. Officials revealed that Hegseth and Caine have presented options for resuming large-scale airstrikes on Iranian military sites.

Suzanne Maloney, Vice President and expert on foreign policy research at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank, stated that Trump has other options at his disposal. The U.S. could slow down the release of billions of dollars in frozen funds that Tehran desperately wants, or continue to increase the cost for Iran to control the Strait of Hormuz.

She pointed out, "This kind of compromise strategy does have limitations," and noted that Trump appears unwilling to reignite a full-scale war, while Iran has the capability to disrupt waterway traffic.

She said, "But predictable U.S. retaliation, coupled with compliance as an economic incentive, might be enough to persuade Tehran not to overstep."