US and Iran Teeter on Brink of Conflict Over Nuclear Weapons

The United States and Iran appear to be moving toward a dangerous crossroads, with diplomacy and military escalation advancing in parallel as President Donald Trump weighs his next move on Tehran’s nuclear programme. According to a report by American outlet Axios, the Pentagon has presented Trump with a range of contingency plans for potential military action against Iran. Among the most extreme scenarios discussed is a targeted operation aimed at eliminating Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with his son Mojtaba and other senior clerical figures, if the standoff over nuclear weapons spirals into conflict. US officials told the publication that the administration has set a high bar for any new Iranian proposal. They said that any deal must convincingly demonstrate that Tehran is prepared to permanently abandon the pursuit of nuclear warheads, a condition aimed at reassuring sceptics within the Trump administration as well as US allies in the Middle East. “President Trump will be ready to accept a deal that is substantive and politically defensible at home,” a senior US official was quoted as saying by Axios. “If the Iranians want to prevent an attack, they should give us an offer we can’t refuse,” the official added. However, behind the scenes, the military is preparing for the possibility that negotiations may fail. A presidential adviser told Axios that planners have developed responses “for every scenario”, including leadership-targeting options that were first presented to Trump several weeks ago. Even as military pressure builds, Trump is keeping a diplomatic door open. Officials say the administration could accept a nuclear agreement that allows limited or “token” uranium enrichment, provided it leaves Iran with no credible pathway to a bomb. The president has reportedly set a tight timeline, telling reporters that Iran has “10 to 15 days” to come forward with an acceptable proposal. The rhetoric from both sides has grown sharper. Khamenei, responding to speculation about US intentions, dismissed the threats in a public address, saying Iran would not be forced into submission. Regional anxiety is also rising. According to Reuters, Gulf states and Israel increasingly believe the confrontation is more likely to end in military action than a negotiated settlement. The United States has been expanding its military presence in the region, in what officials describe as one of the largest force buildups since the 2003 Iraq invasion. For now, the crisis sits on a narrow ledge between negotiation and escalation.