Israel 与美国在 6 月对 Iran 的核设施与防空系统进行了大规模轰炸，Trump 当时称「关键的核浓缩设施已被完全且彻底摧毁」。Trump 最初以空袭相威胁，是为了声援 Iran 在 12 月与 1 月的抗议活动，而该政权此后已以暴力镇压，造成数千人死亡。Trump 在其第一任期退出 Obama 政府时期谈成的 2015 年 Iran 协议后，现在似乎正推动一项有限的核协议。
Trump 在周五记者会上表示，Iran 应该「谈判一项公平的协议」；他也偏好快速行动，包括在 Yemen、Syria 与 Nigeria 的短期轰炸行动，以及 1 月一次特种作战突袭，该行动逮捕了 Venezuela 的 Nicolas Maduro。Becca Wasser 表示，有限打击行动常会变成「漫长且代价高昂的行动」，而 Barbara Slavin 表示，军事威胁可能让 Iran 更不愿意达成协议。Dennis Ross 表示，Iran 正在释放长期战争的讯号，而 Trump 正在释放新成本的讯号，同时补充说「双方都不想要战争」。
President Donald Trump said he is considering limited military strikes to pressure Iran into signing a new nuclear deal, while the Pentagon has deployed two aircraft carriers, fighter jets, and refueling planes to the region. Trump and other officials have given conflicting public accounts of what they want from a new deal, and Trump has set a deadline of between 10 and 15 days. A senior government official in the region said Tehran would likely suspend participation in talks if the US launched a strike.
Israel and the US extensively bombed Iran’s nuclear sites and air defenses in June, and Trump said then that “key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.” Trump’s initial threat of airstrikes came in support of protests in Iran in December and January that the regime has since violently suppressed, killing thousands. Trump now appears to be pushing for a limited nuclear deal after withdrawing in his first term from the 2015 Iran deal negotiated during the Obama administration.
Trump said at a Friday news conference that Iran should “negotiate a fair deal,” and he has favored quick operations including brief bombing campaigns in Yemen, Syria, and Nigeria, plus a special operations raid that captured Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro in January. Becca Wasser said limited strike campaigns often become “long, costly endeavors,” and Barbara Slavin said military threats can make Iran less willing to make a deal. Dennis Ross said Iran is signaling a long war and Trump is signaling new costs, while adding that “Neither side wants a war.” (Key numbers: 1)