Strike on Iran Imminent, U.S. Defense Secretary: Awaiting Trump’s Order | WPN World People News

U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated on Friday (the 30th) at the White House that the United States is deploying naval forces toward Iran on a scale exceeding that of its previous operations against Venezuela. He urged Tehran to swiftly enter negotiations and sign what he described as a “fair” nuclear agreement, warning that failure to do so could result in renewed U.S. military strikes. Meanwhile, foreign media reported that Trump could authorize military action against Iran as early as Sunday, with targets including military facilities and senior leadership in Tehran.

Speaking on Thursday, Trump said he has been in contact with Iranian leaders and plans further discussions, though he did not specify whom he had spoken with. He outlined the message he conveyed: “I told them two things,” Trump said. “First, no nuclear weapons. Second, stop killing protesters.” When asked on Friday—during the signing of an executive order at the White House—whether there was a deadline for reaching an agreement with Iran, Trump claimed communication was ongoing but declined to give a specific date. Asked whether the U.S. would take measures similar to those used against Venezuela if Iran rejected the deal, Trump avoided commenting directly on ongoing military operations but emphasized that the United States maintains a very powerful fleet in the region.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that despite escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington, Iran remains prepared to engage in “fair and just” nuclear negotiations with the United States. Iran also announced that its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) will conduct live-fire exercises in the Strait of Hormuz next week. The U.S. has warned that it “will not tolerate” any unsafe behavior in the strait, including flights over U.S. warships or Iranian fast boats approaching American naval routes. Tensions between the two sides continue to rise.

U.S. media, citing sources, reported that the American military has informed key Middle Eastern allies that Trump may authorize strikes against Iran in the near future, possibly as soon as Sunday. The planned targets would not be limited to nuclear facilities or missile bases but would also include senior government officials and core figures within the IRGC. According to foreign reports, the Trump administration believes that striking Iran’s leadership could lead to the collapse of the Tehran regime. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is said to be optimistic about such an outcome and has assured Trump that Israel could help establish a new, Western-friendly government.

Iranian officials have repeatedly warned that any U.S. attack would be met with an “unprecedented” response, targeting U.S. military installations, oil infrastructure in the Middle East, and U.S. ally Israel. Diplomatic efforts, however, continue. On Friday, Araghchi arrived in Turkey for talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Similar meetings between Iranian leaders and representatives of other countries are ongoing in hopes of resolving Middle East tensions through diplomacy.

Iran has previously seen large-scale anti-government protests that were met with a violent crackdown. Trump has said that assistance is “on the way” and has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with Iran’s current theocratic regime. Whether the United States will resort to military action to overthrow the Iranian government has now become a focal point of global attention.