Click to see full-size image. (U.S. Central Command)
United States President Donald Trump confirmed on May 1 that he was briefed by Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Adm. Bradley Cooper about military options against Iran.
“Do we want to go and just blast the hell out of them and finish them forever, or do we want to try and make a deal — those are the options,” Trump told reporters outside the White House.
Trump added that on a “human basis,” he would prefer not to bomb the Islamic Republic, but also doesn’t want them to have a nuclear weapon.
He claimed that Iran’s leadership is so disjointed that different factions want different types of deals with the U.S., saying that “they’re not getting along with each other, and it puts us in a bad position.”
Asked what specifically he’s unsatisfied with when it comes to Iran, Trump answered, “They’re asking for things that I can’t agree to.”
Earlier in the day, the Iranian state news agency IRNA reported that the Islamic Republic sent its latest proposal for negotiations with the U.S. to Pakistani mediators.
“They want to make a deal, but I’m not satisfied with it,” Trump said when asked about the latest proposal.
“They’ve made strides, but I’m not sure if they ever get there,” he added.
A report published by Axios before the meeting between Trump and Cooper revealed that among the options being readied by CENTCOM there was a plan to take over parts of the Strait of Hormuz, and another to send special forces to snag Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile.
The U.S. has not yet set a time limit for the current ceasefire, with recent reports indicating that the Trump administration may be in favor of keeping it in place along with the ongoing blockade on Iranian ports. However, it is more likely that Trump will resume war, and will do so soon, as the blockade is impacting global energy prices.
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