Click to see full-size image. (U.S. Central Command)
U.S. President Donald Trump is considering several military options against Iran, including killing the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his son Mojtaba, Axios reported on February 21.
Since last month, Trump has repeatedly threatened Iran with military action, first in response to a wave of deadly protests, then over its nuclear activities.
The U.S. military buildup in the region gained momentum in recent days. Dozens of warplanes were sent to the region, and the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group entered the Mediterranean Sea. According to various estimates, the U.S. is very much now ready to launch an attack against the Islamic Republic.
Speaking to reporters a day before Axios published its report, Trump said that he’s considering a limited military strike on Iran to coax it into accepting a nuclear deal on Washington’s terms.
Another senior Trump adviser was later quoted by the American news website as saying that the U.S. president “hasn’t decided to strike yet. I know that because we haven’t struck. He might never do it. He might wake up tomorrow and say, ‘That’s it.’”
According to the adviser, Trump has been presented with a range of military options for Iran, including the assassination of Khamenei and his son.
“They have something for every scenario. One scenario takes out the ayatollah and his son and the mullahs,” the adviser elaborated. “What the president chooses no one knows. I don’t think he knows.”
Another adviser told the website that “Trump is keeping his options open” and “he could decide on an attack at any moment.”
A separate report from Reuters confirmed that the Trump administration was considering targeting individuals as a part of an attack on Iran, and that planning has reached an advanced stage. The report didn’t name any possible targets for assassinations, however.
Despite recent escalation, a third U.S. senior official told Axios that the Trump administration is open to considering a proposal that would allow Iran to retain a “token” nuclear enrichment capability if Tehran’s route to an atomic bomb is fully sealed off.
The website said that while there could be a small opening for a deal, U.S. officials believe that the proposal that Iran is expected to submit in the coming days must clear a very high bar to win over skeptics in the Trump administration and Middle East.
“President Trump will be ready to accept a deal that would be substantive and that he can sell politically at home. If the Iranians want to prevent an attack they should give us an offer we can’t refuse. The Iranians keep missing the window. If they play games there won’t be a lot of patience,” the senior U.S. official said.
Senior Iranian officials, including Khamenei, have repeatedly stated that giving up uranium enrichment was a red line. Thus, the U.S. accepting any level of enrichment could offer an off ramp to both sides.
That’s being said, the nuclear issue is not the only thing driving the ongoing escalation. Iran has so far refused to hold any discussions on its missile program and regional influence.
In fact, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi refused to open an envelope from the U.S. side containing missile‑related proposals that was delivered by Omani mediators during the last round of indirect talks in Geneva, according to a recent Reuters report that citied sources familiar with the talks.
Two Israeli officials also told the news agency that they believe the gaps between Washington and Tehran are unbridgeable and that the chances of a near‑term military escalation are high.
While an agreement is not completely impossible, war remains more likely. And even if a nuclear agreement was reached, the U.S. or Israel on its own could escalate again against Iran in a few months, using the Islamic Republic’s missile program or regional influence as a pretext.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com
remote work isn’t just a trend, it’s the future of work. qs work remotely from your own house. we just want your typing skills, you can make more than 120usd/hr. no matter where you are. let’s grow together and do great things, even if we’re far apart…
take a look…………………… https://psee.io/8qjgv8
make extra profit every week… this is a great part-time job for everyone… best part about it is that you can work from your home and earn from 100-2000 dollars each week … start today and have your first payment at the end of the week..
.…………………………… https://psee.io/8jqu9r
what deal? the usa refuses to compromise on everything. the us wants iran to surrender, and the usa will still bomb iran. a “deal” works by both sides getting something in return.
isn’t it time for iran to get busy?
if the past is anything to go by they will certainly try like the mafia gangsters they are, well they should remember the mango mussolini can also be hit.
stopped reading when i saw that the source was ‘axi0s’… every day i see sources like this from s-f it simply confirms they are a north american operation that wields a disinformation campaign for the west.
chumpo cant do jack shit