U.S. President Donald Trump is privately considering formally declaring an end to the war with Iran, while the Pentagon is quietly expanding the deployment of American forces in the Middle East, The Wall Street Journal reported.
According to the newspaper, Trump has discussed the possibility with senior advisers and is said to favor declaring the conflict over. The president reportedly believes that maintaining strong economic pressure on Tehran could force the Iranian leadership to choose between dismantling its nuclear program and confronting a severe economic crisis.
At the same time, the United States has launched “Operation Economic Pariah,” targeting key sectors of Iran’s economy, including oil, shipping, aviation, gold, technology and the digital economy.
The military buildup, however, appears to send a different signal from discussions about formally ending the war.
The Pentagon is increasing the U.S. military presence in the region, potentially leaving open the possibility that the confrontation with Iran could continue into next year.
The United States currently has roughly 50,000 troops and 19 warships deployed across the Middle East, including two aircraft carriers and 13 guided-missile destroyers.
According to the report, the expanded military presence is intended to give Trump greater operational flexibility and a range of response options depending on how the situation with Iran develops.
The combination of diplomatic discussions over ending the war and an expanding U.S. military deployment reflects the uncertainty surrounding Washington’s next steps toward Tehran.
While Trump may favor formally bringing the conflict to an end while relying on economic pressure to achieve U.S. objectives, the Pentagon’s preparations suggest Washington is also keeping military options available should tensions escalate.
