CNN
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President Donald Trump’s decision to open a two-week negotiation window before deciding to attack Iran will settle urgent efforts to resume consultations that were deadlocked when Israel launched its bombing campaign last week.
According to US officials, the hope between Trump and his advisors is that Iran suffered losses on the missile Arsenal under constant Israeli attacks – tolerance in its hard-line position and agree to terms he previously rejected.
The decision that came after days of martial arts messages from the president came days later, suggesting he was preparing to order a strike, gives Trump time to weigh up potential outcomes.
But negotiating diplomatic solutions in Trump’s condensed timeline seemed to face important early hurdles.
Earlier this week, discussions were underway within the White House to send Middle Eastern envoy Steve Witkov and Vice President JD Vance to the region for consultations with Iran. However, the idea did not lead to scheduled consultations as Trump took the alarm that his diplomatic efforts might be successful, and as of Thursday, both Vance and Witkoff remained in Washington.
Foreign ministers of the UK, Germany and France traveled to Geneva on Friday to discuss with Iranian representatives, and explained details of the last deal provided to Iran. Among U.S. officials there was no high hopes for success at the meeting in Geneva on Friday, US officials said. However, White House officials kept the door open.
“This is a meeting between European leaders and Iran. The president supports diplomatic efforts from allies that can bring Iran closer to his deal,” a White House official said.
Since Israel began its strike a week ago, Iran’s consistent message to the United States is that it will not engage in further consultations with the United States until the end of its ongoing Israeli operations.
The US has not so far put any pressure on Israel to stop the strike, sources said. And Trump said this week that his message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was to “continue.”
So far, Iran has provided no indication that he is willing to move away from its position in enrichment. And as of Thursday, no official consultations between the US and Iran were listed in the book, US officials said.
In postponing the decision, it appears Trump has more stocked in diplomatic solutions that seem to suggest he’s out of reach just a day ago.
“I think the president has made it clear that he wants to pursue diplomacy all the time, but trust me, the president is not afraid to use strength when necessary,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday after broadcasting Trump’s new two-week timeline. “And Iran and the whole world should know that the US military is the strongest and deadliest combat forces in the world, and has abilities that other countries on this planet do not own.”
During this week’s series of situation room meetings, Trump quized an advisor on the possibility that the US Bunkerbuster bomb could completely eliminate Fordaw’s Iranian underground nuclear facility.
He repeatedly argued that he wanted to avoid taking actions that could lead to years of conflict. Many of his own loyalists, including his former top strategist Steve Bannon, had lunch on Thursday – arguing that it is inevitable if he decides to move on.
And while the president has seen military options, he continues to worry about long-term wars. The assessment of whether the strike will extend US involvement is predictive and by its nature is not entirely satisfactory, officials said.
New time slots within two weeks of the meeting were not universally welcomed. Officials from Israeli Intelligence Bureau have expressed disappointment Trump has made him unable to make a decision.
“This is useless,” the official said.
Trump will continue to convene top-level intelligence briefings for the coming days, returning to Washington early from a weekend trip to his property in New Jersey, and will be renewed at the White House.
He primarily relied on CIA director John Ratcliffe and co-chief chairman General Dan Kane to discuss his options to discuss his options.
But at the heart of the diplomatic efforts is Witkov, a friend and foreigner of the president who led the negotiations intended to curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. Witkov began sending a direct message earlier this month with Iranian counterpart Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragut, and the administration has maintained communications with Iranian officials on past tensions as Trump weighed and considered strikes.
The last plan Witkov provided to Tehran would have required Iran to end all uranium enrichment in its soil. On Thursday, the White House said it is still looking at a ban on Iran’s uranium enrichment as needed for a final contract.
As Europeans head towards Friday’s meeting, they “take the temperature” about how much Iranians are embracing finding a diplomatic solution, given their belief that being hit in both directions is not a solution, European officials said.
European leaders believe that Iran’s nuclear program risks continue even amid Israel’s strike. This is because Tehran maintains its nuclear know-how and may still have secret nuclear-related efforts that will not be demolished by military strikes.
Meanwhile, most US diplomats who are not in Trump’s inner circle at the State Department have not been given concrete guidance to provide an alliance on diplomatic efforts, US officials and European diplomats said.
US diplomats, referring solely to Trump’s own words, have little answer to give to allies seeking to determine their regional diplomatic and military stances, leading to many frustrating discussions with foreign interlocutors.
As Trump sweeped his options, Secretary of State Rubio was nearby and set out early from a group of Canada’s seven summits with his commander earlier this week.
A US diplomat spoke on Monday at his counterparts in France, the UK and the European Union about his efforts to “encourage a diplomatic pathway that ensures that Iran never develops nuclear weapons.”
On Wednesday, Rubio “comparesed” the Norwegian Foreign Minister on the issue. Rubio met with the British Foreign Secretary and David Lamie on Thursday before Lamie left for a speech in Geneva.
“Today, during a meeting between the White House Secretary of State and the envoy to Witkov, Iran discussed how it must sign a contract to deepen the conflict. There will be a window to achieve a diplomatic solution within the next two weeks,” Ramie said Thursday.
US officials, including Witkoff, are also actively involved with officials in the region, many of whom provide support in mediating the diplomatic pathway. Sources say Iran responded to messages from third parties, but their responses remained unchanged.
Jamie Gangel of CNN contributed to this report.