United States: In a moment rife with geopolitical tension, President Trump is reportedly set to render a decisive verdict “within a fortnight” regarding whether the United States will formally join Israel’s military confrontation against Iran—a campaign focused on dismantling Tehran’s suspected nuclear infrastructure. This disclosure was made by White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt during Thursday’s press conference.
Why It Holds Gravity
With faint glimmers of a diplomatic breakthrough emerging, Trump appears to be treading carefully, perhaps cautiously optimistic yet alert to the looming possibility of escalation. The possibility of sidestepping an intensified military conflagration remains on the table, sources suggest, with negotiations offering a slim but vital lifeline, according to AXIOS.
Current Landscape
In just three days, Trump has convened his top-tier national security advisors for three classified sessions in the Situation Room. While he’s edging toward military engagement, insiders say he remains anchored by a tripartite checklist:
- Whether military engagement is absolutely warranted
- Whether such action could avoid entrenching the US in a long-drawn Middle Eastern entanglement
- Most critically, whether it would conclusively eradicate Iran’s nuclear armament program
Trump’s Stated Outlook
Delivering a direct communication from the President, Leavitt stated:
“Given the emergent possibility of meaningful diplomatic channels opening with Tehran—channels that might or might not come to fruition imminently—I intend to determine my course of action within the next two weeks,” she relayed during the briefing.
Leavitt also underscored a non-negotiable US demand: any pact forged through diplomacy must irrevocably bar Iran from enriching uranium or ever assembling a nuclear warhead.
Behind Closed Doors
Even as deliberations persist at the executive level, special envoy Steve Witkoff has been in discreet, ongoing contact with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi—an engagement first unearthed by Axios. The channels of backdoor diplomacy remain active despite the brewing war clouds, as per AXIOS.
Earlier this week, Trump acknowledged Iran’s rekindled interest in dialogue. Reportedly, Tehran has floated the idea of dispatching a formal emissary to the White House. However, Trump added a cautionary note—suggesting time for talks may soon expire, and the decision for kinetic strikes may become unavoidable.
So far, no direct meeting between US and Iranian officials has been put on the calendar, US sources confirm.
What Lies Ahead
A pivotal diplomatic gathering is set for Friday in Geneva. Foreign ministers from France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, alongside the EU’s chief diplomat, will convene with Araghchi—according to someone familiar with the summit’s preparations.
Leavitt remarked the administration is keenly observing the Geneva outcome. “The president always privileges diplomacy, yet he remains resolute in exercising force if all peaceful options fall through,” she affirmed.
Separately, a senior European official noted that the EU’s foreign policy head had conversed telephonically with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, updating him about the Geneva meet-up.
UK’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy, following his own Thursday visit to the White House—where he met Rubio and Witkoff—tweeted an optimistic but urgent message: “A sliver of opportunity remains—within these next two weeks—to reach a nonviolent resolution.”