The US network CNN reported that the administration of US President Donald Trump is moving towards escalating military options against Iran, following the breakdown of preliminary talks between Washington and Tehran on curbing Iran’s nuclear programme and its ballistic missile programme.
According to sources cited by the network, Trump is considering a package of military scenarios, including the possibility of delivering a large and decisive strike.
The options under discussion, according to CNN’s sources, include carrying out US air strikes targeting Iranian leaders and security officials believed to be responsible for suppressing protests, alongside strikes on nuclear facilities and sensitive government infrastructure.
The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln entered the Indian Ocean at the beginning of the week and continues to move closer to Iran. This step would provide the United States with operational support for any potential action, whether in terms of launching strikes or protecting US interests in the region from possible Iranian responses.
The network noted that the two sides exchanged messages through intermediaries, including Omani diplomats, in addition to indirect contacts between Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, in an effort to prevent a US strike that Washington had been signalling.
The possibility of holding a direct meeting was briefly discussed but did not materialise. Well-informed sources stressed that serious direct negotiations remain absent amid escalating US military threats.
According to the CNN report, US intelligence assessments indicate that Iran is working to rebuild its nuclear facilities at greater depths underground. Tehran also continues to refuse to halt uranium enrichment and has prevented the International Atomic Energy Agency from inspecting its sites.
Washington has set preconditions for any meeting with Iranian officials, including a permanent end to uranium enrichment, strict limits on the ballistic missile programme, and a halt to Iranian support for its regional allies.
US intelligence reports suggest that the Iranian system is experiencing an unprecedented phase of weakness, driven by US and Israeli strikes as well as internal protests.
However, informed sources warned against exaggerating the impact of this situation, stressing that the removal of the Supreme Leader would not automatically lead to the collapse of the system, particularly in the absence of signs of splits within the security apparatus.
The assumption of targeting Iran’s Supreme Leader also faces complex challenges, according to the CNN report. Following the confrontation between Israel and Iran, Israeli occupation war minister Israel Katz acknowledged that Israel had been unable to reach Ali Khamenei, despite describing him as a “legitimate target for assassination”.
