The timeline was set because of the “substantial chance of negotiations” in Iran in the near future, the White House press secretary said.
President Donald Trump will decide whether to take U.S. military action within the next couple of weeks, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on June 19.
“I have a message directly from the president, and I quote: ‘Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,’” Leavitt said at a White House press briefing.
Trump has been holding meetings in the Situation Room on what to do about Iran.
The president has said he may or may not get involved in the conflict.
Trump’s goal when it comes to Iran is not regime change, but rather ensuring the Islamic Republic cannot obtain a nuclear weapon, said Levitt. He has repeatedly said that Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb.
“Let’s be very clear, Iran has all that it needs to achieve a nuclear weapon. All they need is a decision from the supreme leader to do that, and it would take a couple of weeks to complete the production of that weapon, which would of course, pose an existential threat not just to Israel, but to the United States, and to the entire world,” Leavitt said.
“And that is something that the entire world, including countries like Russia, is in agreement with, that Iran should not and cannot obtain a nuclear weapon, and that’s why the president believes that, and he has believed that, again, not just his political career, but frankly, his entire life.”
While the president supports Israel’s military action in Iran, he has been pushing for a diplomatic solution.
A deal proposed to the Iranians by special envoy Steve Witkoff that they rejected “was both realistic and acceptable within its terms,” Leavitt said.
