Trump is discussing with the National Security Team the resumption of military action against Iran

Amid rising tensions, US President Donald Trump will hold a crucial meeting with senior leaders of the national security team on Monday to discuss a path to deal with Tehran, with the possibility of resuming military operations, after negotiations aimed at ending the war with Iran reached a dead end on Sunday.

Axios quoted official sources as saying that the US administration, which was awaiting a positive Iranian response to a draft agreement to stop the war after waiting for 10 days, was confronted by Tehran’s rejection of the American proposal. Iranian state television considered the proposal a “surrender to Trump’s exaggerated demands,” which the US President responded to with a brief statement, saying: “I don’t like it…it’s inappropriate.”

The option of military escalation returns to the fore

Despite President Trump’s desire to reach an agreement to end the conflict, Tehran’s refusal to make substantive concessions related to its nuclear program prompted Washington to return the military option to the table. In recent days, Trump has threatened to target Iranian infrastructure if the diplomatic track collapses.

In statements he made from the Oval Office prior to his security meeting, Trump confirmed: “I have a plan… Iran cannot possess a nuclear weapon,” describing the current ceasefire situation as “on massive life support.” He also pointed to a possible Iranian retreat from a previous agreement to hand over its stock of enriched uranium, describing the Iranian leadership as divided between “moderates and lunatics.”

Response options and the impact of visiting China

Prominent figures including Vice President Vance, Secretary of State Rubio, Defense Secretary Hegseth, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe participate in the open security meeting, which has its options. Expectations are towards adopting military measures to increase pressure on Tehran.

The most prominent options offered are:

• Resuming “Operation Freedom”: to secure the passage of ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
• Expanding the bombing campaign: to target the remaining military targets that the American command has identified and have not yet been bombed (about 25% of the target bank).
• Israeli demands: Tel Aviv is pressing to carry out a qualitative operation through special forces to control the stockpile of enriched uranium, an option that Trump still has reservations about due to its danger.

Meanwhile, American officials link the timing of any potential military action to President Trump’s expected visit to China between Wednesday and Friday of this week. It is expected that the Iranian file will be at the forefront of Trump’s discussions with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, especially since Beijing is putting undeclared pressure on Tehran to accept a settlement that would end the war and curb its nuclear program, a path that has not been crowned with success so far.