US President Donald Trump warned Iran on Friday that it had up to two weeks to avoid possible military action. But just two days later, on Sunday, the US military hit key nuclear sites in Iran, dealing a major blow to the country’s nuclear programme.
However, a report by Axios said Trump was exploring the option of talks between US and Iranian officials before deciding to send ground troops.
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The proposal was from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who gave a call to Trump earlier this week when the US President was meeting with G7 leaders in Canada. Trump also reportedly received “signals” for back-channel talks from Iran.
Not only was Trump willing to send Vice President JD Vance and White House envoy Steve Witkoff to Turkey for the talks, according to Axios, he even offered to attend the talks himself if need be.
This proposal for talks was conveyed to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi by Erdogan. Both Iranian officials reportedly tried reaching Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei with the proposal but couldn’t.
Khamenei went into hiding into a secure underground bunker, fearing an assassination attempt. After the Iranian officials failed to reach him, they informed Turkey, who then told the US that talks would not happen.
Days after the meeting was called off, Erdogan reportedly met Araghchi in Istanbul and urged him to hold talks with the US, assuring that Turkey was willing to arrange it.
The same day, B-2 stealth bombers departed from the US airbase in Missouri, and later struck three key nuclear sites – Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, in Iran.
Using the B-2 stealth bombers and bunker-buster bombs, the US joined its ally Israel in the fight against Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Ever since the Iran-Israel conflict began on June 13, Trump had been warning Tehran to back down and “come to their senses” about their nuclear plans.
As he announced the US military operation in Iran, Trump said a full payload of bombs were dropped on Fordow, a nuclear site very important to Iran, and considered impenetrable by Israeli bombs.
“There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!” Trump said in a Truth Social post.
Even as Trump asked “Middle East bully” Iran to come to peace following the strikes, Iran has said it reserves the right to defend itself against the “grave violation”.
