Trump Outlines Iran's Smartest Path to Avoid Major Military Strike

President Donald Trump identified what he called the "smartest path" for Iran to avoid a full-scale war and a major military strike by the United States.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump stated that he has not yet decided whether to order a large-scale strike against Iran, despite the ongoing operations that have intensified over recent days.

When asked about his decision regarding a major strike, Trump replied, "I have not decided yet. We are currently talking with them, and I think they are becoming more serious day by day... I see this as the smartest path, although the other path — which is what we are doing now — might be easier."

He added, "We are capable of escalating this to a much higher level if we want to. We are ready to do that; we are fully prepared and ready."

Regarding the strategy to exit a war with Iran, Trump said, "There is a military exit, which involves continuing what we are doing now, and we can increase the pace of strikes, which would eliminate everything they have. There is also a smarter strategy, which is to reach an agreement."

Concluding his remarks to the press, the president emphasized, "We are on high alert and ready to act," as he put it.

Meanwhile, sources revealed that Pakistan is exploring a route to resume stalled talks between the U.S. and Iran aimed at ending the conflict, as part of an initiative led by China.

Pakistani sources noted that exploratory discussions took place during Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni’s visit to Islamabad last week, marking his second visit within ten days.

On Friday, U.S. missiles targeted sites across Iran, while Trump threatened Tehran and the Houthi militia allied with it in Yemen with a "major military punishment," yet he again left open the possibility of a diplomatic agreement with Iran.

Two weeks after the collapse of a temporary truce intended to end the war, Iranian armed forces responded by firing on U.S. bases in neighboring countries and warned local populations that they might strike non-military buildings used by American forces.

In recent days, Trump threatened to expand the list of targets to include Iran’s energy facilities and bridges, as well as to deploy ground troops to seize Kharg Island, a key oil export hub. He also mentioned striking a deep underground site linked to Iran’s nuclear program known as "Mount Axe."

Later, Trump announced that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would visit the United States in the coming days. The two leaders are expected to meet on Tuesday as the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran enters its fifth month.

The Strait of Hormuz remains a focal point in the war that began about five months ago, which has resulted in thousands of deaths, worsened global inflation, and raised fears of an economic recession.