NYT: Trump weighs sending envoys or launching bombs at Iran

Amid escalating conflict in the Middle East, US President Donald Trump is said to have considered sending his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and, possibly, Vice President JD Vance, to meet with Iranian officials. 

According to a senior American official, while it remains unclear whether any such meeting has taken place, the move would mark a rare diplomatic overture during a period of mounting tension, Caliber.Az reports, citing The New York Times.

On June 16, Trump took to social media to issue a stark warning, urging “everyone to immediately evacuate Tehran” — a message that appeared at odds with efforts at diplomacy. Nonetheless, speaking the same day, Trump said he believed Iran was “at the negotiating table” and “wants to make a deal.”

The urgency of the situation was further underlined when the White House confirmed Trump would leave the Group of Seven summit in Canada earlier than scheduled, citing the deteriorating situation in the Middle East. “As soon as I leave here, we’re going to be doing something,” Trump said, without elaborating on what that might involve.

If the US delegation does meet with the Iranians, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is expected to be their main interlocutor. Araghchi, a key figure in the 2015 nuclear deal with the Obama administration, has previously dealt directly with Witkoff. On June 16, he suggested Iran was open to dialogue, stating, “If President Trump is genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential.”

He added that a signal from Washington could ease tensions, saying, “It takes one phone call from Washington to muzzle someone like Netanyahu. That may pave the way for a return to diplomacy.”

Still, if diplomacy fails, Trump may face pressure to consider military options. The US possesses the Massive Ordnance Penetrator — a 30,000-pound bomb capable of destroying deep nuclear sites such as Iran’s Fordo facility — though only American B-2 bombers can carry it. Israel does not have access to either the weapon or the aircraft.

Some Republicans, including Senator Lindsey Graham, are pushing Trump to authorise its use if diplomacy falters. Others, particularly the party’s anti-interventionist wing, warn against dragging the US into another Middle East war.

For now, Trump appears to be balancing both sides — using the threat of military action to strengthen his hand in possible talks, while keeping his political base wary of new conflicts onside.

By Aghakazim Guliyev