US President Donald Trump held a meeting with top members of his national security team last Saturday. A source familiar with the meeting told CNN that the discussions focused on what the next steps regarding the conflict with Iran should be. Just one day after the meeting, Trump issued a stern warning, stating that Tehran must “act fast, or nothing will remain of them.”
Yesterday, Sunday, Trump wrote on social media: “Time is running out fast for Iran. They must move very quickly. Otherwise, nothing will remain of them. Time is of the essence! — President DJT.”
According to the source, the meeting—held at Trump’s golf club in Virginia—was attended by US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
The meeting took place just hours after Trump returned to Washington following a significant visit to China. China is one of Iran’s close allies.
Trump is reportedly becoming increasingly frustrated with the way Tehran is handling diplomatic negotiations. Furthermore, he is said to be annoyed by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the resulting impact on global oil prices.
CNN reached out to the White House for comment on this matter but did not receive an immediate response.
During his visit to Beijing, Trump and his traveling delegation refrained from making any decisions regarding the next steps concerning Tehran. Several administration officials told CNN that they wanted to determine their future course of action only after observing the outcome of the meeting between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
CNN had previously reported that, in recent days, Trump has been giving increasingly serious consideration to launching another major military operation against Iran. Although he prefers a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, he is reportedly weighing the option of escalating military pressure as a means to compel Iran to reach a settlement and end the hostilities.
The source believes that Trump may convene another meeting with his national security team this week to discuss the situation regarding the conflict. The Pentagon has prepared a list of potential military targets should Trump ultimately decide to launch further attacks. Sources familiar with the discussions stated that this plan includes targeting Iran’s energy and infrastructure facilities.
The news regarding Saturday’s meeting was first reported by the news outlet Axios.
Yesterday, Sunday, Trump also spoke by telephone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A spokesperson for Netanyahu and a U.S. official confirmed this information to CNN.
There has been no indication yet from the Iranian side that the country’s top officials are prepared to back down. Reports in Iranian media indicate that Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, met yesterday with Iran’s top leaders, including President Masoud Pezeshkian. Pakistan is playing the role of a key mediator in the discussions between the United States and Iran.
During the meeting, officials in Tehran asserted that the U.S. presence in the Middle East is the very factor creating instability in the region. A report by the Iranian news agency Tasnim News stated that Pezeshkian accused the United States and Israel of consistently attempting to sow discord among Islamic nations through divisive activities and by fostering mistrust.
At the same time, however, the Iranian President stated that Iran seeks to build sincere, stable, and good-neighborly relations with the Islamic nations of the Middle East.
