The President of the United States, Donald Trump, issued a 10-day ultimatum to Iran on Thursday to reach an agreement on its nuclear program and warned that if no progress is made, his administration could "take a further step," referring to a possible limited military action.
During a meeting of the so-called Peace Board, Trump stated that he still prefers the diplomatic route, but made it clear that Washington will not allow Tehran to continue challenging regional stability.
“Now is the time for Iran to join us on a path that complements what we are doing. They can no longer threaten the stability of the entire region. They must make a deal or they will face negative consequences,” the president noted, as reported by the State Department.
According to information published by U.S. media, the president is considering a limited initial military strike against Iranian government or military facilities as a leverage to push for a new nuclear agreement.
This offensive, if authorized, could be carried out within a matter of days and would be designed, in principle, to prevent an escalation into a large-scale conflict.
Sources cited by the press indicate that if Iran refuses to halt its nuclear enrichment after a first strike, the United States could expand its military campaign to include more strategic targets, such as key regime infrastructures in Tehran.
The ultimatum comes in a context of increasing tension in the Middle East, with U.S. forces on alert and simultaneous diplomatic efforts aimed at reaching an understanding to avoid direct confrontation.
Trump emphasized that a definitive decision could be made "in the next ten days," thus keeping the door open for a last-minute negotiation, but making it clear that Washington is prepared to act if it believes that national security and regional stability are at risk.
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