President Donald Trump said Thursday that a decision on renewed military action against Iran would come soon, after meeting his national security advisers for the first time since the midterm elections.
The administration is weighing fresh strikes, continued economic pressure, or a negotiated agreement involving concessions to Tehran, according to Axios.
Military service members, veterans, and citizens of Guam gathered for the Memorial Day Commemoration at the Guam Veterans Cemetery. The Ceremony consisted of a fly over from a B-52H Stratofortress, a musical performance from the Guam Territorial Band & Cantate, guest speaking from the honorable Eddie Baza Calvo, a Fallen Soldier Gravesite Tribute, and the playing of Taps. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jacob Snouffer/Released)
A B-52H Stratofortress sit parked on the flight line at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Aug. 8, 2022. The B-52 is capable of dropping or launching gravity bombs, cluster bombs, precision-guided missiles and joint direct attack munitions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Alysa Knott)
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) is preparing for possible major combat operations but has not received a new directive, an American official told the outlet.
The deliberations coincide with renewed regional diplomatic efforts and a Qatari-backed proposal intended to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restart nuclear negotiations.
Neither Washington nor Tehran has announced an agreement.
Decision Incoming
President Trump hinted at an imminent decision on whether to renew military action in Iran.
“Now we will make a decision: do we want to go further?” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I would rather not destroy the rest of the country, if possible, but maybe I will have to. You’ll know soon enough,” he added.
Thursday’s discussions took place during the president’s weekly intelligence briefing, two U.S. officials told Axios.
The meeting followed an election that intensified scrutiny of the war’s economic and political consequences. An AP-NORC survey conducted September 24–28 found that 71% of American adults disapproved of Trump’s handling of Iran, while 69% said the war had not been worth fighting.
Vice President JD Vance, in an unusually candid reaction to disappointing midterm elections, publicly identified the war with Iran as the cause of Republican losses.
“The reason we lost is the war,” he wrote on social media Wednesday, arguing that any honest discussion about the party’s future needed to begin there. He also noted a senior pollster had warned the Iran war was one of the top issues frustrating voters before Tuesday’s elections.
Qatari Proposal
Discussions are ongoing over a two-day Qatari proposal built around an initial exchange of concessions.
B-52 Bomber Bombs. Image Credit: National Security Journal.
On the first day, Washington would lift its naval blockade and release some frozen Iranian funds. Tehran would formally invite International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to bombed nuclear facilities.
The second day would bring the reopening of Hormuz, followed by nuclear negotiations focused on Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile.
The proposed inspection arrangements would draw on the Cairo framework agreed in September 2025. Egypt’s government described that agreement as an effort to resume technical cooperation between Iran and the IAEA.
Qatari emir Sheik Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani “emphasized the importance of continuing dialogue and embracing diplomacy as a means of resolving disputes; preventing further escalation in the region” in a call with President Trump on Friday, according to a Qatari statement.
The two leaders also discussed Qatar’s initiatives “to bridge the gaps between the concerned parties and support the negotiation process, to pave the road for reaching a comprehensive agreement that resolves the crisis and ensures security and stability in the region.”
Iran Stands by Conditions
Iran has stated seven conditions to end hostilities, including sanctions relief, access to frozen assets, and war reparations.
Washington, conversely, has insisted nuclear questions belong in initial negotiations.
Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei reinforced Tehran’s position after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Thursday.
A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress strategic bomber assigned to the 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron flies within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Nov. 15, 2024. The B-52H provides strategic options and flexibility to U.S. and coalition senior leaders with the aircraft’s ability to employ a wide range of weapons with precision and deliver a decisive response to adversaries who threaten peace and security across the region. (U.S. Air Force photo)
He said Hormuz would remain closed and negotiations would not begin until Washington implemented Iran’s conditions.
He also delivered a message from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and discussed regional security arrangements with Putin.
Diplomatic contacts extended beyond Moscow.
The Associated Press reported calls between Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and regional counterparts, including discussions with Qatar and Oman about de-escalation and maritime navigation.
“We told Mr. Putin that we announced seven conditions to the Americans regarding diplomacy, and that until the Americans fulfill our seven conditions, neither the Strait of Hormuz will be opened, nor will there be any negotiations,” Rezaei said following the meeting.
Military Preparations
While no decision has been made, CENTCOM is reportedly finalizing preparations for a renewed attack.
An attack could be imminent with the coming arrival of a third U.S. Navy aircraft carrier strike group in the Middle East, joining USS George H. W. Bush and USS George Washington.
A U.S. official told Axios that the USS Theodore Roosevelt strike group was due to begin a Singapore port visit Friday and would not reach CENTCOM’s area before mid-November.
About the Author: Shay Bottomley
Shay Bottomley is a British journalist. He has written for the Western Standard, Business Insider, Maidenhead Advertiser, Slough Express, Windsor Express, Berkshire Live and Southend Echo.
