Trump Considers Renewing War on Iran but Chooses Diplomatic Path

In recent days, U.S. President Donald Trump contemplated restarting a full-scale war against Iran but ultimately decided to continue pursuing diplomacy, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal published overnight between Wednesday and Thursday. Official sources in Washington revealed that Trump discussed the possibility several times with Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark Milley, exploring the option of abandoning negotiations in favor of extensive military strikes. Some officials described such a move as "finishing the job." Although no final decision was made, Trump conveyed to his advisors that a military strike at this time could undermine Washington's chances of dismantling Tehran's nuclear program.

Despite leaning against a full return to warfare, Trump supports maintaining the recent status quo established last weekend, when he ordered strikes near the Strait of Hormuz in response to Iranian violations of an agreement between the parties. Shortly after these attacks, Trump warned that continued Iranian breaches could force the U.S. to take military action to "finish the job," threatening that in such a scenario, "the Islamic Republic would cease to exist."

Amid these tensions, The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. and Iran agreed to resume negotiations aimed at reaching a final agreement to end the conflict. A U.S. official was quoted saying that vessels would be able to transit freely through the Strait of Hormuz. Contrasting reports emerged, including a New York Times article stating that Iran and Oman are advancing a new plan to charge fees on ships passing through the strait, a proposal that U.S. negotiators have received with concern.

Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts continue, with Qatar's Foreign Ministry announcing that Trump's special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, met with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani. The parties reviewed recent developments in U.S.-Iran talks under their memorandum of understanding and discussed enhancing regional security and stability through dialogue and diplomacy. Additionally, the U.S. recently conducted strikes in Iran, which responded with fire toward Kuwait and Bahrain. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and the Revolutionary Guards have established a direct communication channel to manage tensions.