"For weeks he assembled an armada of carriers and destroyers in the waters of the Middle East, bolstered by squadrons of F-35 and F-22 jets dispatched to allied bases around the region. It was the largest US buildup since the 2003 Iraq war that toppled Saddam Hussein. Trump's goal was to pressure Iran's rulers to do what they have resisted for decades: give up their nuclear and long-range missile programs and stop supporting its armed proxies."
"US Defense Intelligence Agency assessments suggested Iran's nuclear progress remained constrained, while Israeli intelligence painted a far more urgent picture. Some US officials quietly warned Trump's top envoys not to lean too heavily on the Israeli conclusions."
"They want to make a deal, but we haven't heard those secret words: We will never have a nuclear weapon,' the president said. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met senior congressional leaders that evening to brief them on talks. Time was running out but, behind the scenes, there was still a debate underway."
Trump deployed the largest US military buildup since the 2003 Iraq War to the Middle East, including aircraft carriers, destroyers, and fighter jets, to pressure Iran into surrendering its nuclear and long-range missile programs and ceasing support for armed proxies. While publicly stating a preference for diplomatic solutions, Trump's administration simultaneously pursued negotiations through envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff for talks in Geneva with Iranian counterparts. However, intelligence assessments diverged significantly: US Defense Intelligence Agency evaluations indicated Iran's nuclear progress remained constrained, while Israeli intelligence presented a more urgent threat assessment. Some US officials cautioned against overrelying on Israeli conclusions. By Thursday, the Geneva negotiations had failed to produce meaningful breakthroughs, with the situation shifting toward potential conflict despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.
#iran-nuclear-negotiations #us-military-buildup #trump-administration-diplomacy #middle-east-tensions #intelligence-assessments
Read at wirehub.medianewsgroup.com
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