Trump prepares another major strike against Iran: the country’s leadership and military facilities are under attack
29 January 10:21
US President Donald Trump is considering the possibility of launching a new major strike against Iran after previous contacts between Washington and Tehran on limiting Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missile production failed to produce results, CNN reported, citing sources, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
On Wednesday, Trump posted a message on the social network Truth Social, demanding that Iran return to the negotiating table to conclude a “fair and just agreement – without nuclear weapons.” He warned that the next US strike on Iran “will be much worse” than the operation in the summer of 2025, during which the US military attacked three Iranian nuclear facilities.
According to sources, among the options being considered are US airstrikes against Iranian leadership and security forces, whom Washington holds responsible for the deaths of hundreds of protesters, as well as strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities and government institutions. No final decision has been made yet.
US negotiations and conditions
Earlier this month, the US and Iran exchanged messages, including through Omani diplomats and channels between Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, discussing a possible meeting to prevent an American strike, the sources said.
A face-to-face meeting was briefly discussed but did not take place. According to sources, there have been no serious direct talks in recent days.
Washington, according to CNN’s interlocutors, has put forward preconditions for dialogue, including Iran’s final renunciation of uranium enrichment, new restrictions on its ballistic missile program, and an end to its support for regional proxy forces.
Deadlock in negotiations
The key stumbling block, according to sources, was the US demand that Iran agree to limit the range of its ballistic missiles. This issue is of particular importance to Israel, which during the 12-day war in June last year used up a significant portion of its stockpile of interceptor missiles while repelling Iranian missile strikes.
Iran rejected this demand and informed the US that it was only willing to discuss its nuclear program. Washington did not respond, resulting in a deadlock between the parties, the sources explained.
One US official said on Monday, January 26, that the administration remains open to talks with Iran if Tehran accepts Washington’s conditions.
US threats and Tehran’s sharp response
Trump’s latest threats provoked a sharp reaction in Tehran. The Iranian authorities announced an immediate response to any US military action, and one of the key advisers to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatened strikes against Israel in the event of an attack.
Trump believes that his military capabilities have expanded following the arrival of a US aircraft carrier strike group in the region. The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier group entered the Indian Ocean on Monday and continues to move towards Iran. The Pentagon is also deploying additional air defense systems, including Patriot batteries, and plans to deploy HAAD mobile air defense systems to protect US forces from a possible Iranian response.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the Iranian armed forces are ready to respond “immediately and powerfully” to any aggression against the country. Supreme Leader Ali Shamkhani’s adviser warned that military action would be considered the start of a war and threatened an “unprecedented” response.
Intelligence assessments and the position of allies
According to US intelligence, the Iranian regime is in a weakened state following US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets and allied groups last year, as well as recent mass protests in Iran.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the Iranian regime is “probably weaker than ever.” At the same time, sources note that even the removal of the supreme leader does not guarantee the collapse of the system of power, and there are no signs of division in the Iranian security forces yet.
Key US allies in the region, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have said they will not provide their airspace and territory for a possible operation against Iran, CNN sources said.
