Trump wants ‘definitive’ action against Iran – media

The US president is reportedly hesitant to strike Iran over fears the country’s government would not be toppled

US President Donald Trump wants to avoid a prolonged conflict with Iran and instead deliver a swift and decisive blow to the country’s government, NBC reported on Thursday, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.

In recent days, the US president has issued multiple threats against the country, which has been rocked by violent mass protests since late December. The unrest was prompted by soaring inflation and rapid devaluation of the national currency but eventually grew political. Tehran has blamed the violence, which has reportedly resulted in hundreds of fatalities, on meddling by the US and Israel, as well as “terrorist” infiltration of the protesters’ ranks.  

Despite the public threats to Iran and telling protesters that “help is on its way,” Trump has been hesitant to attack the country, NBC’s sources suggested. His advisers so far have not been able to guarantee that action would result in an immediate collapse of the government. Trump reportedly seeks swift and decisive action to deliver it a fatal blow rather than a prolonged conflict.  

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“If he does something, he wants it to be definitive,” one source told the broadcaster.

Several media outlets have indicated that US military action against Iran appeared to be inevitable, particularly given that Pentagon personnel have reportedly been evacuated from bases in the Middle East in case of retaliatory strikes from Iran.  

On Wednesday, Reuters claimed, citing two unnamed European officials, that an attack was “imminent” and could come within the next 24 hours. An anonymous Israeli official also told the agency that the US president appears to have decided in favor of striking Iran.  

However, multiple outlets reported that major Arab Gulf states are privately pressuring the US not to launch strikes against Iran, warning that doing so could result in a broader regional conflict and potentially disrupt the global oil market.