The White House is seriously considering Iran's proposal for indirect nuclear talks, even as the United States significantly increases its military presence in the Middle East, two senior American officials revealed on Wednesday, as reported by Israeli media.
This diplomatic opening represents a potential de-escalation pathway in an increasingly dangerous standoff between Washington and Tehran. President Trump recently received Iran's official response to a letter he sent to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei three weeks ago. While Trump had proposed direct negotiations for a new nuclear deal, the Iranians agreed only to indirect talks mediated by the Sultanate of Oman."The Trump administration believes direct discussions would have a higher chance of success but does not rule out the format proposed by the Iranians and does not oppose Oman serving as a mediator between the countries, as it has previously," a senior US official noted. Internal discussions within the administration continue, with another official stating, "After the exchange of letters, we are now evaluating the next steps to begin talks and build trust with the Iranians."
Military Preparations Continue
Despite this diplomatic opening, the Pentagon continues its massive buildup of forces in the Middle East. The Israel Hayom reported that the USS Carl Vinson strike group has departed from Guam and is heading toward the region, where it will join the USS Harry Truman, which has been operating against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen since mid-March. On Tuesday, the Pentagon announced the deployment of additional troops and aerial assets to the region, with both aircraft carriers—the Truman and Vinson—to be stationed in the Middle East. Last week, several B-2 stealth bombers were deployed to Diego Garcia, a military base in the Indian Ocean. These advanced bombers are capable of carrying the 14-ton "bunker buster" MOP (Massive Ordnance Penetrator) bombs specifically designed to target fortified underground facilities."The US and its partners are prepared to respond to any state or non-state actor seeking to expand or escalate the conflict in the region. If Iran or its proxies threaten American troops or interests, the US will take decisive action to defend itself," Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated.
Trump's Deadline and Internal Debate
President Trump has repeatedly stated his preference for reaching a new nuclear deal but has warned that without an agreement, "there will be bombing." He has reportedly given Iran a two-month deadline to get a deal, though it remains unclear when that timeline began. A significant internal debate continues within the White House between officials who believe an agreement is achievable and those who think negotiations would be a waste of time. The latter group is pushing for military strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities. A senior US official emphasized that Trump does not want to go to war with Iran but sees the military buildup as necessary to strengthen America's negotiating position—and to be prepared if diplomacy fails and the situation escalates rapidly.
Iranian Positions and Responses
The diplomatic developments come amid an escalating exchange of threats. Iran has reportedly readied missiles inside its underground facilities to respond to potential US attacks on its nuclear sites, a defensive posture taken in direct response to Trump's explicit threats. Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei responded to Trump's bombing threat by saying that while he does not believe the US will attack Iran, "it will certainly receive a harsh blow in return" if it does. Iran has also filed an official diplomatic protest—delivered via the Swiss Embassy—warning that it would "respond decisively and immediately to any threat." "The US has 10 bases and 50,000 troops in the region... if you live in a glass house, you shouldn't throw stones," the commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Air Force warned on Iranian television.
Nuclear Status and Negotiating Position
Iran has dramatically increased its uranium enrichment since Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal and is now considered a nuclear threshold state—though Tehran insists it does not seek nuclear weapons. Iran has also stated that it is unwilling to negotiate on non-nuclear matters, such as its missile program, which Trump and his team previously insisted must be part of any new agreement's advisor and former parliament speaker Ali Larijani emphasized that if the US bombs Iran's nuclear facilities, Iranian public opinion will pressure the government to change its policy and pursue nuclear weapons.
International Concerns
According to the Russian and Iranian media, Russia has entered the diplomatic fray with strong warnings about potential US military action. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned that any military attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities would have "catastrophic" consequences for the entire region. Russia has offered to mediate the situation, with Ryabkov urging efforts to find a peaceful resolution.
Path Forward
As military assets and diplomatic initiatives move forward simultaneously, the international community is concerned about whether diplomacy can prevail over military confrontation. The coming days and weeks will be critical in determining whether indirect talks mediated by Oman can provide a path to de-escalation or if the region will face the "bombing the likes of which have never been seen before" that Trump has threatened. For now, a delicate balance exists between diplomatic engagement and military preparation, with the ultimate decision resting with President Trump on whether to pursue negotiations through Oman's mediation or abandon diplomacy in favor of military action.