Trump Weighs Iran Strike Options While Diplomacy Runs on a Parallel Track

The top U.S. commander in the Middle East briefed President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday on the state of the Iran war, including options for a possible return to major combat operations, according to The Wall Street Journal and Axios. The in-person visit by Adm. Brad Cooper, who leads U.S. Central Command, came as Washington pursues renewed talks and military preparations at the same time.

Iran, for its part, has kept demanding that the United States take several steps before nuclear negotiations resume. Mediators led by Qatar are trying to keep the two countries from returning to war after the U.S. midterm elections.

What happened at the White House briefing

The Journal, which first reported the meeting, described it as a rare visit by Cooper. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, attended. Axios, citing two U.S. officials, reported that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and White House envoy Steve Witkoff were also there.

According to Axios, Trump wanted to hear directly from Cooper on whether the naval blockade of Iran is working. Cooper also covered the military operation to guide oil tankers out of the Strait of Hormuz toward global energy markets. He also updated Trump on an economic pressure campaign the military is running with the Treasury Department. The White House and CENTCOM declined to comment to Axios.

The Washington track: pressure and preparation

Axios said Trump is again pursuing two tracks, as he did before Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025 and Operation Epic Fury in February. He is trying to restart peace talks while preparing for possible major combat after the midterms. The Times of India, citing the Journal, reported that U.S. officials have told Arab Gulf states to prepare for a short, intense campaign after the elections.

Trump hinted at renewed action last week. At a rally he said the U.S. “may do another little Epic Fury,” or Iran would agree to a deal, according to the Times of India. The paper also reported that the Pentagon has recently sent more air defenses, munitions and supplies to the region. It said some troops have been moved away from bases seen as vulnerable to Iranian retaliation, and that the Army is sending an additional Patriot air-defense battery to Israel.

Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat who said he had been briefed on parts of the classified planning, called the plans insane, the Times of India reported.

The diplomatic track and Iran's conditions

Axios reported that Qatari mediators recently delivered a letter from Vice President JD Vance to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council. The letter proposed restarting negotiations but stressed that any talks must address Iran's nuclear program. A regional source told Axios the mediation is at a very sensitive stage.

Trump and Vance met Wednesday to discuss a possible goodwill gesture, such as sending food and medicine, according to a source cited by Axios. Trump later publicly backed the idea. The Times of India reported that Trump has denied telling Vance to start peace talks, saying the contact concerned medical supplies.

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack told CNN on Thursday that the two countries were “very close” to a deal to ease tensions. He cautioned that an overall solution would not come immediately.

Iran's position, as reported by Axios and the Times of India, is that Washington must lift the blockade, release frozen Iranian funds and allow Iran to sell oil before nuclear talks restart. Iran International reported that Iran's Revolutionary Guards said three tankers struck naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz over the previous 24 hours. It also reported that Vice President Mohammadreza Aref said Tehran was managing the waterway. The Times of India added that Iran has threatened to hit a broad range of U.S. and Gulf targets if attacked. It also reported that Iran has resumed producing ballistic missiles from stockpiled components in underground facilities.

Why it matters for readers

The briefing shows that the blockade, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the flow of oil to global energy markets are central to U.S. decision-making on Iran. The Journal reported that Washington is weighing a return to major combat operations. Iran has threatened U.S. and Gulf targets in response, and the Times of India reported it has stepped up efforts to target U.S. personnel in the region. U.S. service members and Gulf partners would therefore be directly exposed if fighting resumed.

The reporting also shows that a de-escalation deal is still being pursued. Barrack described one as close, while Iran's stated preconditions remain unchanged.

What comes next

According to Axios, the focus is on the period after the midterm elections, when Trump could either resume major combat or move toward restarted talks. Qatari-led mediators are working to steer the two sides toward negotiations. No date for talks or for any military action was disclosed in the reports.

Around Prague, based on reporting by Iran International, The Times of India, Axios