Iran on brink of war with US

U.S. President Donald Trump is weighing a major new strike on Iran after preliminary discussions between Washington and Tehran over limiting the country’s nuclear program and ballistic missile production failed to make progress, CNN reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Options Trump is now considering include U.S. military airstrikes aimed at Iran’s leaders and the security officials believed to be responsible for the killings, as well as strikes on Iranian nuclear sites and government institutions, the sources said.

Trump has not made a final decision on how to proceed, but he believes his military options have been expanded from earlier this month now that a U.S. carrier strike group is in the region.

Amid the threats of military action, the U.S. has also demanded preconditions for a meeting with Iranian officials, including a permanent end to uranium enrichment central to Iran’s nuclear program, new curbs on Iran’s ballistic missile program and halting all support for Iranian proxies in the region.

The biggest sticking point, sources said, has been the U.S. demand that Iran agree to put limits on the range of its ballistic missiles. Iran has balked at that and told the US it would only discuss its nuclear program. The U.S. has not replied, leaving both sides at a dead end, the sources said.