Trump Sets 10-Day Deadline for Iran Deal or Strike
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- Trump said he is considering a limited military strike on Iran to pressure its leaders to curb the nuclear programme, telling reporters the world would find out "over the next, probably, 10 days" whether a deal is reached.
- The US is deploying the USS Gerald R Ford, described as the world's largest warship, and the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier toward the region, alongside destroyers, combat ships, and fighter jets as American forces ramp up their presence near Iran.
- Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran is preparing "a draft of a possible agreement" to hand to US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in the coming days, following talks in Geneva where both sides said progress was made.
- Ayatollah Ali Khamenei posted social media messages threatening US forces, and satellite images show Iran has reinforced military facilities in response to the US buildup.
- Trump has yet to specify a military objective, and US officials have reportedly presented him with options for what could be a weeks-long campaign — a stark contrast to the one-day Operation Midnight Hammer strike on Iranian nuclear facilities in July 2025.
- A protracted conflict comes at a domestically difficult moment, with polls showing growing disapproval of Trump's handling of immigration and the economy, and the source warns it threatens to alienate parts of the MAGA base drawn to his promise to end "messy foreign entanglements."
Why it matters: A weeks-long Iran campaign would dwarf last July's one-day Operation Midnight Hammer strike, threatening to alienate Trump's base just as polls show growing domestic disapproval. The 10-day deadline mirrors Trump's past use of ultimatums, with diplomacy and war planning now running on parallel tracks.
