US President Donald Trump has in recent days considered options for a return to full-scale war in Iran, but has decided to instead focus on diplomatic efforts, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Trump has additionally told aides that it would not be a problem if a nuclear deal is not reached by the 60-day August 18 deadline, the newspaper said.

According to the late Tuesday report, which cited US officials, Trump held talks in recent days with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine on whether the US should quit negotiations for a deal and instead carry out strikes.

Unnamed individuals described fresh attacks on the Iranian regime to the Journal as potentially “finishing the job.”

However, the US president reportedly appears disinclined to take military action beyond occasional strikes in response to Iranian violations of the understandings between the sides, as he fears a renewed military conflict could harm the prospects of an eventual diplomatic solution and the dismantling of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

The Journal suggested that the discussions on a potential return to war signaled that Trump was becoming frustrated with the deadlock in the talks, but said that the president indicated a willingness to let the negotiations extend past the 60-day deadline on August 18.

Additionally, an unnamed White House official told the outlet that the deconfliction channel Washington and Tehran agreed to set up, including representatives from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the US Army’s Central Command, has already been used by both sides.

The US has designated the IRGC as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

The issues between the sides came into sharp relief on Tuesday when top US envoys Steve Witkoff........

© The Times of Israel