According to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, President Trump will decide “within two weeks” whether to support Israel in its fight against Iran to destroy its nuclear program.
Why it matters: Trump is allowing the possibility of a diplomatic resolution in the next few days, which might prevent a significant escalation in the Middle East, by citing the “chance for substantial negotiations” with Iran.
Current situation: Thursday was the third time in three days that Trump has met in the Situation Room with his top national security staff. U.S. officials believe he is thinking about going to war, but he wants to make sure three things are true:
1.that a military action is indeed required.
2.that it would prevent the United States from becoming embroiled in a protracted conflict in the Middle East.
3.Above all, it would accomplish the objective of eliminating Iran’s nuclear program.
“I have a message directly from the president: ‘Based on the fact that there is a chance for substantial negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision on whether or not to go within the next two weeks,'” Leavitt stated during Thursday’s White House briefing.
Leavitt emphasized that any diplomatic agreement must guarantee that Iran cannot develop a nuclear weapon or enrich uranium.
Behind the scenes: According to Axios on Wednesday, special envoy Steve Witkoff has been in close contact with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi while Trump has been debating whether or not to enter the battle in recent days.
Trump stated on Wednesday that Iran has even suggested sending a delegation to the White House and is still interested in negotiating with the United States.
However, he warned that it was becoming “very late” for negotiations and that he would soon approve strikes against Iran’s nuclear program.
No meeting between American and Iranian officials has yet to be scheduled, according to U.S. authorities.
What to watch: According to a person familiar with the matter, Araghchi will meet with the foreign ministers of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom on Friday in Geneva, along with the head of the European Union’s foreign policy.
Leavitt stated that the United States will assess the outcome of the summit. “The president always wants to use diplomacy, but is not afraid to use force if necessary,” she added.
According to a European official, the head of EU foreign policy called Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday to let him know about the upcoming meeting with his Iranian counterpart.
Following his meeting with Rubio and Witkoff at the White House on Thursday, U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy tweeted that there was a “window now exists within the next two weeks to achieve a diplomatic solution.”
