Washington: US President Donald Trump has discussed possible military options against Iran with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, even as Washington maintains that diplomatic negotiations with Tehran are continuing. According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the discussions, Trump spoke to Netanyahu by phone following their meeting at the White House earlier this week. The report said Trump had also discussed strategic options for resuming large-scale military operations against Iran with senior military officials.
However, no final decision has been taken on whether to launch fresh military action. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has maintained that diplomatic discussions with Iran are continuing without interruption. Speaking to reporters after the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Georgia, Rubio said Washington remained open to a diplomatic solution that addresses its key security concerns. He declined to set a deadline for the negotiations or assess how much progress had been made. Rubio also stressed that Trump had not yet made a decision on resuming military operations against Iran.
The US administration has not disclosed how long it intends to continue diplomatic efforts before considering other options. Asked about the timeline, Rubio said the decision rested with the President. Rubio accused Iran of engaging in maritime activities that threaten commercial shipping and supporting armed groups contributing to instability in the Middle East. He said discussions with Tehran were continuing both directly and through intermediaries. However, he did not provide details about the progress of the negotiations or the possibility of reaching a final agreement.
Washington has repeatedly highlighted concerns over regional security, maritime navigation and Iran’s support for armed groups as key issues in its dealings with Tehran. Meanwhile, senior Iranian security official Mohsen Rezaei has commented on what he described as a change in Washington’s position. Rezaei claimed that the language used in a letter sent by US Vice President JD Vance had changed, suggesting a shift in the American approach towards diplomatic engagement.
His remarks were seen as an early official Iranian response to the latest diplomatic efforts. However, no further details about the contents of the letter or the alleged change in language were immediately available. With diplomatic channels still active and military options reportedly under consideration, the situation between Washington and Tehran remains uncertain. The next steps will depend on the progress of negotiations and decisions by the US administration.
