The Iranian leaders who have so far survived the war with the U.S. and Israel are struggling to make coordinated decisions as the conflict continues, according to a new report.
The New York Times detailed that officials are not having phone calls or meeting in person due to concerns about being tracked and killed. It added that while the government continues to function, its ability to do so has been weakened, potentially hampering the possibility of engaging in conversations with the U.S.
In fact, negotiators may not know what they can concede in such negotiations, or who to ask about them.
President Donald Trump said the U.S. is having conversations with Iranian officials, but has also threatened to escalate if a deal is not reached soon.
Reports are offering conflicting accounts about whether Trump is leaning towards escalating or ending the war. The Wall Street Journal reported during the weekend that the president is considering an operation to seize some 1,000 pounds of enriched uranium in Iran, which would require sending ground troops to the country for days or longer.
The outlet claimed that Trump has not made a final decision on the matter but remains generally open to the idea because he seeks to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
In contrast, the same outlet claimed that Trump has told aides he is willing to end the military campaign without ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz, the key waterway through which about 20% of the world's energy goes through, is reopened. This is because such an operation would mean that the war would extend beyond the original timeline given by Trump for the duration of the conflict, which is between four and six weeks.
It went on to say that Trump decided that the U.S. should achieve its main goals: destroying Iran's navy and missile stocks to wind down operations and move on to pursue diplomacy.
© 2025 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
