WASHINGTON – Web Desk: US President Donald Trump was deeply frustrated by Iran’s delay in responding to a proposed agreement, leading him to authorize fresh military action against Iran, according to a US news website citing two senior US officials.
While the immediate cause for the strikes appeared to be the US Apache helicopter incident, the real backdrop included stalled negotiations between Iran and the US and Trump’s growing unease. Washington had waited for weeks for Tehran’s response, but Iran delayed giving a final reply to US proposals. The White House sent multiple messages to Iran that time was limited for negotiations and a response was urgently needed.
During the military operation, the US took special care to ensure strikes were limited in nature with minimal casualties so that the diplomatic path would not be completely closed, preserving the possibility of a future agreement. Iran was reportedly notified before the strikes that the operation would be limited to specific military targets. If the Apache helicopter crew had suffered casualties, the US response could have been far more severe.
Regional mediators, including Qatar, remained in contact with both sides, making efforts to revive negotiations. The US had warned Iran that further delays could complicate the situation. According to the report, the proposed agreement between Iran and the US included key points on uranium enrichment, maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, and certain economic matters, but both sides failed to reach final consensus.
