President Trump met Friday with senior advisers and top Cabinet officials to consider a major expansion of the U.S. military campaign against Iran, as American intelligence agencies warned that Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, may be more willing than his father to pursue a nuclear weapon, The New York Times reports.
Trump previewed the discussions Thursday, saying he was considering a “massive attack” that would be “bigger than ever before.” He added that he was close to making a decision and that U.S. forces were fully prepared to carry it out
The deliberations follow the collapse of a fragile ceasefire and a memorandum of understanding intended to return Washington and Tehran to negotiations over a longer-term nuclear agreement. Trump also indicated that Israel would most likely not participate in the next stage of the escalation, citing the potential consequences it could face from Iran.
At the same time, U.S. intelligence agencies assess that Mojtaba Khamenei may be more open than his father to abandoning Iran’s longstanding prohibition against developing a nuclear weapon. American officials have not concluded that he has ordered the construction of a bomb, but believe the prolonged war and continued U.S. pressure could increase Tehran’s willingness to move toward weaponization.
The intelligence assessment adds urgency to Trump’s decision as his administration weighs whether a larger military assault could prevent Iran from advancing its nuclear ambitions or instead push the regime closer to building a weapon. The president has repeatedly insisted that Iran will not be permitted to obtain a nuclear bomb, while warning that a far more severe military operation remains under consideration.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
