CENTCOM To Brief President Trump on Military Options as Iran Nuclear Agreement Still Not Reached
By The Media Line Staff
The Trump administration is simultaneously reviewing military options against Iran and pursuing diplomatic efforts as mediated talks showed limited advances and US officials voiced doubts about Tehran’s readiness to reach an agreement.
ABC News reported Thursday that Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, is preparing to brief President Donald Trump on potential American military actions targeting Iran. The report cited a person close to the president and another individual familiar with the details. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Cain also took part in the briefing process. Sources told the network that a joint US-Israeli military operation against Iran remains an active option under consideration.
At the same time, diplomatic channels remain open. MSNBC reported that Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi, who has been serving as mediator in US-Iran negotiations, is scheduled to meet Friday in Washington with Vice President JD Vance and other senior US officials. The purpose of the meetings is to prevent a US military strike on Iran.
Vance addressed the issue publicly in an interview with The Washington Post, saying that even if President Trump ultimately orders strikes on Iran, there is “absolutely no chance” such action would draw the United States into a yearslong war. Vance said he was unaware of what decision President Trump would make, and outlined possible paths forward, including military strikes “to ensure that Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons,” or resolving the dispute “through diplomatic means.”
The New York Times reported following meetings Thursday that any military action under discussion would likely be limited in scope, focusing on Iran’s nuclear and missile infrastructure. The newspaper cited American officials who expressed skepticism that Iran is prepared to finalize a deal, while saying that targeted strikes are viewed as a means to compel Iranian leaders to make concessions amid ongoing negotiations in Geneva.
Those negotiations concluded Thursday. Al Busaidi said the talks produced progress and confirmed that technical-level discussions are scheduled to take place next week in Vienna. The US delegation was led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and included President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, also participated.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said “good progress” had been made, adding that agreement had been reached on some issues, while disagreements persist.
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