Amid ongoing military clashes between Israel and Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump stated he plans to decide within two weeks whether to launch a military attack on Iran.
Karoline Leavitt, White House spokesperson, noted during a briefing on the 19th (local time) that President Trump said, "There is a significant possibility of negotiations with Iran that may happen in the near future, but may not. We will decide on the attack within two weeks."
President Trump's remarks are interpreted as setting a deadline for Iran to make a final decision on whether to abandon its nuclear weapons development. The day before, he had stated, "I have not made a final decision yet on the attack."
U.S. media reported that President Trump had already approved plans to attack Iran on the 17th, but hesitated to issue the order while waiting to see Iran's response.
While President Trump has expressed support for striking Iranian nuclear facilities, he is maintaining a cautious approach toward direct U.S. involvement in a Middle Eastern war, considering pushback from his base and concerns about a prolonged conflict.
Recent indications that Iran has shown interest in resuming nuclear negotiations with the U.S. suggest that President Trump may be keeping open the possibility of resolving the issue through diplomacy without military intervention. The two-week timeline appears to be set for such diplomatic efforts.
However, in the context of escalating hostilities between Iran and Israel, there are forecasts that if significant changes occur on the battlefield before the two-week deadline set by President Trump, the decision for U.S. military intervention could be expedited.