Trump dismissed Israeli plans to attack Iran in favour of negotiations
US President Donald Trump waved off an Israeli proposal to attack Iran in favour of opening negotiations, according to administration officials.
Officials and others with knowledge of the discussions told the New York Times that divisions had emerged in the Trump team over how to approach the Islamic Republic.
According to the New York Times, debate within the Trump administration between anti-Iran hawks and those seeking a more diplomatic route led to a "rough consensus" against military action for the time being.
Israeli officials had developed plans to attack Iranian nuclear sites in May, with the purported aim of setting back Iranian nuclear ambitions by at least a year.
Any attack on Iran by Israel would require US support and so far it has not been forthcoming.
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US and Iranian diplomats attended discussions in Oman last weekend aimed at reaching a deal over Iran's nuclear programme, with further discussions planned to take place in Italy on Saturday.
In 2018, Trump withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed by his predecessor Barack Obama, which sought to limit Iran's nuclear capabilities in exchange for sanctions relief, and imposed a "maximum pressure" sanctions regime on the country.
The meeting between the two countries is the first since a brief attempt in 2021 under former president Joe Biden.
Tehran, deeply suspicious of the US administration after Trump's 2018 withdrawal from the original nuclear deal, has refused to negotiate directly with Washington.
Last month, Trump said Iran would be bombed if it did not agree to a deal to curb its nuclear programme.
"If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing," Trump told NBC News.
"It will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before."
Despite these comments, the Trump administration has long been split between more hawkish allies such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and those such as director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard who oppose wider US military intervention.
During a meeting this month, Gabbard reportedly presented an intelligence assessment that said the buildup of American weaponry could potentially spark a wider conflict with Iran.
Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Vice President JD Vance also voiced doubts about the attack, according to the New York Times.
Officials told the newspaper that Vance said Trump had a unique opportunity to make a deal with Iran, but that they could support an Israeli attack if talks failed.
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