Trump Sets 10-Day Timeline for Iran Deal or Military Action
President Donald Trump stated that the world will learn "over the next, probably, 10 days" whether the United States will reach an agreement with Iran or proceed with military action.
Speaking at the inaugural meeting of his Board of Peace in Washington DC, Trump emphasized that "we have some work to do" in negotiating with the Islamic Republic regarding its nuclear program, and acknowledged that "we may have to take it a step further."
In recent days, the US has increased military deployments to the Middle East, while reports indicate progress in talks between American and Iranian negotiators in Switzerland.
Opposition to potential military action without congressional approval has been voiced by Democratic lawmakers and some Republicans.
Peace Board and Diplomatic Efforts
Trump highlighted the involvement of Special Envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who is also his son-in-law, noting they had "some very good meetings" with Iran.
"It's proven to be, over the years, not easy to make a meaningful deal with Iran," he said. "Otherwise bad things happen."
One day prior, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt cautioned that Iran would be "very wise" to reach a deal with the US, adding that Trump remains hopeful for a diplomatic resolution concerning Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
Initially, the Board of Peace was perceived as an initiative to help end the two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and to oversee reconstruction efforts.
However, over the past month, its mission appears to have expanded beyond a single conflict, prompting speculation that the Trump-chaired board, comprising approximately two dozen countries, might be intended to operate independently of the United Nations.
Military Actions and Regional Tensions
In June of the previous year, US missiles and aircraft targeted three Iranian nuclear facilities. Reports indicate that the White House has been discussing new military strike options this week.
American forces have been increasing their presence in the region recently, including deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier.
Despite this, the BBC has learned that the British government has not authorized the US to utilize UK military bases to support any potential strikes on Iran.
In prior Middle East operations, the US used RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and the UK overseas territory of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
Satellite imagery has revealed that Iran has reinforced its military installations, while the country's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has issued social media messages threatening US forces.
"The US President constantly says that the US has sent a warship toward Iran. Of course, a warship is a dangerous piece of military hardware," one of Khamenei's posts stated.
"However, more dangerous than that warship is the weapon that can send that warship to the bottom of the sea."
Congressional Opposition and War Powers Act
Several members of the US Congress have expressed opposition to military action against Iran.
California Democrat Ro Khanna and Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie have announced plans to attempt to force a vote on the issue next week, citing the 1973 War Powers Act.
This legislation grants Congress the authority to limit the president's power to commit US forces to armed conflict.
"A war with Iran would be catastrophic," Khanna stated on social media. "Iran is a complex society of 90 million people with significant air defences and military capabilities."
He also warned that thousands of US troops in the region "could be at risk of retaliation."
However, the likelihood of the resolution passing in both chambers of Congress is low.
In January, Senate Republicans blocked a similar war powers resolution that would have required the Trump administration to obtain congressional approval before conducting further military operations in Venezuela following the capture of Nicolas Maduro.
