Washington, United States – US President Donald Trump said he is nearing a major decision on resuming large-scale attacks on Iran, raising the prospect of another escalation in the seven-month war.
“I have a big decision coming up. Do I want to go in and annihilate them or do I not? It’s a big decision. Anything could happen with me,” Trump told digital news group Axios on Thursday, Sept. 16.
Trump did not say when he would make the decision, but his remarks came ahead of a planned meeting Tuesday with Gulf leaders on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The meeting is expected to include leaders or senior officials from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman, and focus on the next steps in the Iran war.
Trump is weighing whether to make another diplomatic push or return to major military operations, according to Axios.
The Gulf countries could play a significant role in that decision. A number host US military forces and have faced Iranian attacks and economic losses.
Axios reported that Trump held off on another major offensive in August after Saudi Arabia and Qatar raised concerns about possible Iranian retaliation against oil and gas facilities.
Trump has repeatedly said in recent days that he believes the war could end soon and has maintained that Iran wants an agreement with Washington.
The conflict, however, remains unresolved. Trump entered the war expecting a much shorter campaign, but fighting and economic pressure have continued since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.
With reports from Xinhua News Agency
