US President Donald Trump is expected to receive an update on military options for Iran from Pentagon officials this Thursday (30), as he pressures Tehran to accept a deal, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Trump is routinely briefed on military plans, and there was little sign that his previous reluctance to resume the U.S. bombing campaign was easing.
Still, the meeting was a sign that Trump is keeping his options open as .
The meeting, initially reported by the website Axios, is expected to be attended by Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, and General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as well as other senior military officers.
Trump’s current strategy aims to inflict as much economic damage as possible on Iran in the hope that the country’s nuclear program will break.
In recent days, he has told his top aides that he wants to, according to sources familiar with the negotiations, and his team has already begun laying the groundwork for such an extension, including a longer-term closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
“The blockade is brilliant,” the president told reporters on Wednesday (29), when asked about the expected duration. “Now they just have to surrender, that’s all they have to do. Just say, ‘We give up,'” he added.
While the Pentagon continues to prepare in case the president decides to resume his bombing campaign, Trump has already indicated internally that he prefers to reach an agreement with the Iranians and avoid further armed attacks, sources familiar with the matter reported.
It is for an indefinite period, and Trump said he does not feel pressure to reach an agreement.
