Sources say Trump is leaning toward an Iran strike, and missing his son’s wedding was just the first sign

It has been six weeks since President Donald Trump came close to resuming the war with Iran, only to decide against it at the last moment. But sources who have spoken directly with the president say he is now seriously considering launching new strikes against Iran, unless there is a last-minute breakthrough in negotiations. This comes after Trump held a meeting with his senior national security team.

According to Axios, the meeting took place as Pakistan’s top military official, Field Marshal Asim Munir, traveled to Tehran in what appeared to be an 11th-hour effort to close the gaps and stop the war from resuming. A Qatari delegation also arrived in Tehran to support the mediation effort. Munir is expected to meet on Saturday with Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, the commander of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, who plays a key role in Iran’s decision-making.

Trump’s decision to cancel his weekend golf trip and stay at the White House in Washington, D.C., has sparked speculation that a major move in the war with Iran may be coming. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he would miss his son’s wedding this weekend because of “circumstances pertaining to Government, and my love for the United States of America.” 

Trump appears to be moving closer to ordering a strike as diplomacy runs out of time

Sources close to Trump, and a second source with knowledge of the situation, told Axios that Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with the Iran negotiations over the past several days. On Tuesday, he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he wanted to give diplomacy another chance, but by Thursday night he was leaning toward ordering a strike. 

A source close to Trump said the president has raised the possibility of a final “decisive” major military operation, after which he could declare victory and end the war. Some critics have raised concerns about whether Trump might use the Iran conflict to influence future elections, an idea that has drawn comparisons to events in Ukraine.

There is no indication that Trump has made a final decision to resume the war. However, the situation is fluid, and sources close to the negotiations still believe there is an opportunity in the next 24 hours for some kind of breakthrough. Two sources familiar with Trump’s thinking say he appears inclined to move forward with military action unless something unexpected happens in the talks.

Iran’s foreign ministry said on Friday that talks were ongoing but a deal was not close. The semi-official Tasnim news agency, which is linked to the IRGC, quoted a source close to the Iranian negotiating team who said “talks over disputed issues are still ongoing and no final result has yet been achieved.” 

The source said the current focus is on “ending the war,” and no other issue will be negotiated until that has been achieved. Trump’s schedule change has led to a wave of speculation among politicians and commentators. Some believe the president may be preparing to announce a deal, while others think he is leaning toward launching new strikes.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) added to the speculation by suggesting Trump’s change of plans may actually be related to Cuba, tweeting, “I believe the liberation of the wonderful people of Cuba from the clutches of communism is close at hand.”

The next 24 hours are expected to be critical in determining where things go from here. Meanwhile, Trump’s administration has been dealing with several domestic issues as well, including new policy changes affecting household grocery bills ahead of the midterms. Sources close to the negotiations say there is still a chance for a breakthrough, but Trump’s lean toward military action appears to be growing stronger by the hour.