Trump Considers Renewed Full-Scale War on Iran but Sticks to Diplomacy for Now

According to a Wall Street Journal report, US President Donald Trump has recently contemplated resuming a full-scale military conflict with Iran to "finish the job." Over the past days, Trump held several discussions with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Dan Cain regarding potential additional strikes against Iran. The talks centered on whether to abandon ongoing negotiations and escalate military actions, a move some described as "finishing the job." Despite these considerations, Trump decided to continue diplomatic talks for the time being.

Sources familiar with the discussions revealed that Trump has not made a final decision but expressed concerns that a new round of large-scale strikes could undermine Washington's chances of ultimately dismantling Iran's nuclear program. Furthermore, Trump indicated to his aides that he is comfortable allowing the nuclear deal negotiations to extend beyond the August 18 deadline, providing more time for dialogue to progress.

Meanwhile, Trump remains open to authorizing limited, targeted strikes if Iran violates the memorandum of understanding, a strategy already employed in recent weeks. This approach reflects a cautious balance between military pressure and diplomatic engagement as the US navigates its policy toward Iran.