US President Donald Trump convened an emergency meeting with senior national security officials at the White House to discuss the situation in Iran. Photo: AFP.
According to sources, the May 22 meeting was attended by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and numerous other security officials.
Officials briefed President Trump on the current state of negotiations as well as various contingency plans should diplomatic efforts with Iran fail. Some sources indicate that Trump is seriously considering the possibility of launching new attacks against Iran if no breakthrough is achieved in the coming days.
Amid escalating tensions, numerous U.S. military and security measures have been implemented. Several members of the U.S. military and intelligence community have canceled weekend holiday plans to prepare for emergencies. Defense and intelligence agencies have begun updating personnel lists at U.S. bases abroad, while some forces in the Middle East are reportedly adjusting their deployment locations to minimize the risk of retaliation should conflict escalate.
President Trump also decided to stay in Washington instead of going to his resort in New Jersey or attending his eldest son's wedding in the Bahamas. He said he needed to stay at the White House during this "particularly important period."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington has prepared a “plan B” if Iran continues to refuse to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Photo: NATO.
Meanwhile, at a press conference in Helsingborg, Sweden, on the sidelines of the NATO foreign ministers' meeting, Foreign Minister Marco Rubio also stated that Washington had prepared a "plan B" if Iran continued to refuse to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or attempted to impose fees on this strategic waterway. Rubio emphasized that the US and its NATO allies consider ensuring freedom of navigation in Hormuz a top priority.
Rubio also revealed that President Trump is unhappy with the response of some NATO allies to US military operations in the Middle East. However, the US Secretary of State said that this issue will be discussed in more detail by NATO leaders at the alliance's upcoming summit.
On the NATO side, Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that many NATO member states consider any actions hindering freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz to be "unacceptable," while also acknowledging that the US has weakened Iran's nuclear and long-range missile capabilities, which are crucial for security in the Middle East, Europe, and the world .
Observers now believe the coming days will be decisive for the US-Iran negotiations, as Washington continues to increase military pressure but still leaves open the possibility of reaching a diplomatic agreement.
Thu Uyen
Source: Reuters, AFP
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/nhieu-dau-hieu-my-sap-tan-cong-iran-288639.htm
Comment (0)