Trump’s Warning Targets Iran, Ignoring Diplomatic Solutions

Trump’s national security meeting at his Virginia golf club included VP JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and special envoy Steve Witkoff, held hours after his return from a high-stakes visit to China, a key Iran ally.

Trump has expressed growing frustration with Tehran’s approach to diplomacy and the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which is affecting global oil prices. The White House has not yet commented.

During his visit to Beijing, Trump and his team delayed deciding on their approach to Tehran, with administration officials telling CNN they wanted to gauge the outcome of his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping first.

In recent days, Trump has considered renewing war against Iran, meanwhile the Pentagon has prepared potential strikes on energy and infrastructure, with further discussions planned this week.

Trump also spoke Sunday with "Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a spokesman for the prime minister and a US official told CNN.

On the Iran side, there are no new indications that top officials are ready to back down. 

Iranian media reported Sunday that Pakistan’s interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, had met with top Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian. Pakistan has acted as the primary mediator during the US-Iran peace talks.

During those meetings, Tehran officials said the United States’ presence in the Middle East was causing instability in the region. 

According to the Iran-linked Tasnim news agency, Pezeshkian said the US and "Israel" "have always tried to pit Islamic nations against one another through divisive projects and by fostering distrust" even as “Iran seeks sincere, stable relations based on good neighborliness with the region’s Islamic countries.”