Trump weighs Iran strikes as diplomatic efforts continue
US President Donald Trump said Friday that Iran is demonstrating its strongest commitment yet in negotiations with Washington, while stressing that he has not decided whether to authorize a major military strike against the country.
Speaking at the White House, Trump said diplomatic contacts with Tehran remain active and described the latest discussions as the most serious to date, although he cautioned that no agreement has been reached.
"We're talking to them right now," Trump said, adding that while diplomacy remained his preferred option, the United States was fully prepared for military action if necessary.
"We're locked and loaded and ready to go," he said.
Trump reiterated that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon remains a top US objective.
White House reviews military options
The comments came as Trump met senior advisers and Cabinet officials to consider expanding US military operations against Iran following the collapse of a ceasefire and renewed hostilities.
According to US media reports, the president is weighing a large-scale military response after weeks of escalating attacks between the two countries. The conflict has intensified despite earlier efforts to negotiate a broader peace agreement.
Trump also said he was not rushing a decision despite domestic political pressure ahead of the US midterm elections later this year.
Trump warns China and Russia against arming Iran
Trump also warned that any decision by China or Russia to provide weapons to Iran would have serious consequences.
He said Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin had both assured him their countries would not supply arms to Tehran, adding that he trusted those commitments.
"I think they wouldn't want to have me disappointed," Trump told reporters.
Iranian media reports deadly strike on LPG tanker
Meanwhile, Iran's state broadcaster reported that a US missile strike hit an LPG tanker near the Strait of Hormuz on Friday after it was allegedly mistaken for a vessel carrying Iranian gas.
According to the report, two crew members were killed and the ship's engine room was damaged, leaving the tanker disabled. The US military has not commented on the claim.
Earlier, the Indian Embassy in Tehran said a Mozambique-flagged LPG tanker carrying 28 Indian crew members had come under attack in Iranian territorial waters, although all Indian nationals aboard were reported safe. It was not immediately clear whether the two incidents involved the same vessel.
US issues global security warning
The US Embassy in Baghdad and Consulate General in Erbil issued a security alert urging American citizens to remain vigilant, warning that Iran and allied groups could target US interests worldwide.
The advisory cited the risk of further attacks, travel disruptions and sudden airspace closures across the Middle East, while urging Americans to avoid demonstrations and areas with heavy security presence.
The warning followed reports that air defense systems intercepted several drones over Erbil on Friday. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps later claimed responsibility, saying it had targeted US military assets in the city, although the claims could not be independently verified.
Regional tensions have continued to rise as exchanges of strikes between the United States and Iran disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and fuel concerns over wider instability and global energy supplies.
Source:AA
