Live updates: Iran warns it’s ‘prepared’ for war as protests continue | CNN
When President Donald Trump meets with his senior national security team later Tuesday to discuss his options in Iran, he’ll face a complex set of decisions for how to proceed – all balanced by an equally complex set of risks.
Trump must first decide whether to allow diplomacy time to proceed after his foreign envoy, Steve Witkoff, received conciliatory messages from Iran’s foreign minister over the weekend.
Some senior officials interpreted the outreach as a sign the regime was ready to talk and have encouraged the president to seize the opportunity to strike a deal (the contours of which remain unclear).
Other officials have been less sanguine, believing Tehran is simply looking to delay an attack, which Trump has been threatening for more than two weeks.
Trump has said he won’t necessarily wait for talks with Iran before moving ahead. If he decides to go that course, he will have to consider another set of decisions.
Should Trump decide on firing a missile into Iran, he will have to decide which targets to strike – remaining elements of Iran’s nuclear program, government buildings in Tehran or other facilities connected to the country’s security services. Any strike would likely be several days from happening, one official said.
If Trump elects to carry out something short of a strike, he has another set of options in front of him: cyberattacks, new sanctions or efforts to bolster internet connectivity.
Each cascading decision will be weighed against potential responses from Iran. US officials believe any strikes inside Iran could lead to retaliatory action on American facilities in the region, an outcome Iranian officials have already threatened. Officials have also voiced concern that a forceful response could strengthen support for the regime in a “rally behind the flag” effect.
It’s less clear how Iran might respond to lesser actions. And not taking any action at all could make Trump’s threats appear empty, officials said.