ALBAWABA - Axios reports that the Pentagon has made backup plans that could include going after Iran's top leaders if talks between Washington and Tehran break down.
According to a U.S. official, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently gave President Donald Trump different military options that would target high-ranking Iranian officials, such as Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and his son Mojtaba Khamenei, who is widely thought to be a possible successor.
The proposed options, according to reports, go beyond targeting leaders and include attacks on important nuclear and military sites in Tehran. People who know about the talks said that the president is still unsure and that no final approval has been given yet. All options are still being looked at.
The talks are taking place in a region where tensions are rising and Oman is still mediating indirect nuclear talks. While the military buildup in the Middle East has intensified in recent weeks, diplomatic channels remain open. The report says that the administration is thinking about whether using pressure tactics, like the credible threat of force, could make Tehran make concessions.
One diplomatic option that has been talked about is letting Iran do a little bit of uranium enrichment under strict conditions that would stop it from making a nuclear weapon. But sources say that the administration hasn't come to an agreement on whether or not this kind of compromise would be okay.
U.S.-Iran relations have been unstable for years, especially since the 2020 killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani during Trump's first term. This event made things much worse between the two countries.
There is currently no official word on any operational decision. Officials say that the next few weeks and the course of negotiations will probably decide whether the crisis gets worse or better.
