Trump Sets Deadline As U.S. Weighs Strike On Iran

The United States is edging closer to a potential military confrontation with Iran, as President Donald Trump said Americans will know “within the next 10 days” whether negotiations yield an agreement or give way to military action.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Trump confirmed that his administration is considering a decisive strike if Tehran does not agree to what he called a “meaningful deal” addressing its nuclear program and regional conduct.

“Now we may have to take it a step further or we may not. Maybe we are going to make a deal. You are going to be finding out over the next probably 10 days,” Trump said during the Gaza Board of Peace meeting in Washington.

The remarks offered one of the clearest timelines to date from the White House as tensions in the Middle East intensify.

According to reports, internal deliberations have shifted beyond the prospect of a limited, one-off strike. Officials are now weighing options for a sustained campaign that could last weeks and potentially involve coordination with Israel. People familiar with the discussions described planning that more closely resembles a conventional war strategy than a discrete air operation.

The developments coincide with another round of nuclear talks in Geneva, where American envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met for several hours with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Both sides characterized the discussions as constructive.

Privately, however, significant differences remain. The principal disputes center on uranium enrichment levels, verification procedures and broader security guarantees. While administration officials say there has been progress, they acknowledge that Iran has yet to accept the core concessions Washington is seeking.

The United States has significantly expanded its military presence around Iran in recent weeks, deploying additional aircraft carriers, fighter jets, destroyers, and missile defense systems to the Persian Gulf and nearby waters. Defense officials say the buildup is intended both as a deterrent and as preparation should diplomacy over Iran’s nuclear program collapse.

The Pentagon has confirmed that two carrier strike groups are now within operational range, supported by expanded air assets and missile defense capabilities. Officials indicate that forces are positioned and ready if ordered to act, a signal that the administration’s warnings are being backed by concrete military preparations rather than rhetoric alone.

For Trump, the moment presents a consequential decision in both strategic and political terms. Trump has repeatedly said that Iran will not be permitted to acquire a nuclear weapon and has cast the current negotiations as a test of whether diplomacy can achieve substantive outcomes.

Iran’s network of allied militias across Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen could create multiple fronts in the event of hostilities. Energy markets have already reacted to the prospect of escalation, with oil prices showing volatility.

Administration officials maintain that a diplomatic solution remains preferable, but they say cosmetic compromises will not suffice. The coming days are expected to determine whether the impasse is resolved through negotiation or shifts into a more perilous phase.

For now, the White House message is direct: Tehran faces a narrowing window. If an agreement does not materialize, the president appears prepared to take action that could significantly alter the balance of power in the Middle East and shape the course of his foreign policy legacy.

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