The US newspaper has revealed that US President Donald Trump last week asked his senior national security advisers what the chances of an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities were.
The New York Times reported, citing four current and former US officials, that the meeting took place at the Oval Office on Thursday.
According to the report, a day earlier, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had released a report claiming that Iran’s uranium reserves had increased from 300 kg to 12 times.
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According to the New York Times, Donald Trump’s advisers warned that such a move could lead to a major controversy in his office in recent weeks.
“Donald Trump asked his senior national security advisers what the options were for an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities and what their response should be,” the newspaper quoted officials as saying.
The report said that the attack was likely on the Natanz, the center of Iran’s enrichment program, which Tehran said was for peaceful purposes only.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Iran had 2,442 kilograms of “low-enriched uranium” reserves, up from 2,105 kilograms as of August 25.
Iran signed a nuclear deal with world powers in 2015, according to which Tehran has the right to stockpile only 202.8 kilograms of uranium.
According to the report, senior advisers included US Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Mele.
According to the newspaper, these people persuaded the US President to withdraw from the attack.
The New York Times quoted administration officials familiar with the meeting as saying that Mike Pompeo and Christopher Millie had warned the US president of the dangers of a major war in the region as a result of the attack on Tehran. It is said that the possibility of a missile attack on Iranian soil will no longer be questioned.
But officials told the newspaper that Trump was considering plans to attack Iranian allies and assets, such as militias in Iraq.
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It may be recalled that on May 8, 2018, US President Donald Trump declared Iran a dangerous country and withdrew from the nuclear deal signed by former President Barack Obama with world powers including China, Russia, Britain and Germany. What was
Donald Trump announced his withdrawal from the agreement, which was followed by a crackdown on the implementation of the agreement due to the re-imposition of economic sanctions on Iran.
In response, Iran violated the terms of its nuclear program and announced plans to increase its uranium enrichment program