Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Iran’s leadership, telling them there will be “no turning back” if they fail to engage meaningfully in peace negotiations, as the Pentagon is reported to be preparing a range of military escalation options including a potential ground operation.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said Iranian leaders were “begging” to reach a deal despite Tehran’s public rejection of a 15-point US peace proposal that was passed to Iranian officials via Pakistan. “They better get serious soon, before it is too late, because once that happens, there is NO TURNING BACK, and it won’t be pretty!” the President wrote, referring to the country’s leadership as “strange.”
Behind the scenes, according to reporting by Axios, Pentagon officials are developing a series of military options intended either to give Trump a basis on which to declare victory or to create additional leverage for a negotiated settlement. The options under consideration are said to include invading or blockading Kharg Island — Iran’s principal oil export hub — seizing control of Larak Island, which plays a key role in Tehran’s ability to keep the Strait of Hormuz under its influence, and intercepting Iranian oil tankers on the eastern side of the strait.
Insiders have warned that the likelihood of dramatic escalation will grow significantly if talks fail to produce a breakthrough and the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed to normal shipping. Around a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the waterway, and its continued blockage has sent global energy prices sharply higher and drawn warnings of serious long-term economic consequences from international bodies including the International Energy Agency.
Iran has publicly rejected the US peace framework while simultaneously denying it has held any direct talks with Washington. Tehran has been communicating with American officials through intermediaries from Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey rather than through direct diplomatic channels.
The prospect of a ground operation would represent a significant expansion of the conflict, which has so far been conducted primarily through air strikes. The US has already deployed thousands of Marines to the region alongside naval assets, with the Pentagon’s options apparently designed to present Trump with a menu of choices should diplomacy continue to stall.
