White House response to report on scrapping a major war plan against Iran: Trump has all options on the table

🔸The White House on Saturday, the third of Mordad, rejected a report by The New York Times that had said the scrapping—at least temporarily—of a plan to significantly escalate U.S. military operations against Iran, and emphasized that Donald Trump still has all options.

🔸On Saturday, The New York Times reported that, following opposition from at least two people in Trump’s circle of advisers, the U.S. president has for now set aside the major war plan against Iran at this time.

🔸The New York Times cited as reasons for this opposition and the subsequent decision the concern about the stockpiles of anti-missile Patriot missiles being depleted, which the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has at its disposal as the main U.S. force in the Middle East region.

🔸In response to this report, Steven Cheung, director of communications for the White House, immediately told Fox News: “President Trump has always emphasized that he prefers a diplomatic solution, but if Iran continues its terrorist activities in the Strait of Hormuz or against [U.S.] allies, all options will remain on the table.”

🔸He added that, after “successful sanctions that have paralyzed Iran’s economy” and 13 days of successive attacks on military targets in response to the “repeated violations” of the Islamic Republic, Iran should try to reach an agreement through negotiations; “otherwise, they know what will happen.”

🔸Cheung also reiterated this warning about “options being on the table” in a conversation with The New York Times, saying that “it is wise for Iran to try to reach an agreement through negotiations; otherwise, they know what will happen.”

🔸Following attacks by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on several oil tankers and commercial vessels in the Omani section of the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. Army—on an order from Donald Trump—moved further into the south of the country with 13 consecutive nights of strikes on positions, mostly military, in Iran. In the last two or three days, the attacks were accompanied by Trump’s comments about the possibility of a major attack on Iranian soil.

🔸Read the full version of this report on the Radio Farda website.