CNN: US military seeks creative ways to pressure Iran
CNN reports that US Central Command has asked military analysts to submit creative ideas for increasing pressure on Iran. The email was sent before Trump's latest threats, but on Sunday the president again said a deal is within reach.
According to CNN, citing two anonymous sources, an intelligence officer at US Central Command (CENTCOM) sent an email to a broad group of military analysts, asking for new, creative and unconventional ways to pressure and punish Iran. One source confirmed the content of the letter, while another said the message was indeed sent last week.
The request for ideas via email has been described as unusual among military personnel. The outlet suggests this reveals that Washington currently has limited and unpalatable options in its effort to force Tehran to reach an agreement. The CENTCOM official initiated a brainstorming session in hopes of finding an alternative. One source added that the command is reviewing all possibilities and acknowledging that the current strategy needs to be reconsidered.
CENTCOM spokesman Captain Timothy Hawkins told CNN that the command has experience in thinking and working innovatively, and that Admiral Cooper in particular often listens to team members regardless of rank in order to achieve the highest operational effectiveness.
The email was sent before President Donald Trump threatened new strikes against Iran. Over the weekend, however, he backed away from those plans after regional leaders, especially Saudi Arabia's crown prince, contacted him and urged de-escalation. On Sunday, Trump again claimed that an agreement with Iran on the Strait of Hormuz had been reached and that a deal on Tehran's nuclear program was "within arm's reach", with talks to begin on Monday.
Trump has used this approach repeatedly: first threatening strikes on Iran's infrastructure, then at the last moment saying he would give diplomacy another chance. The episode began on Friday with threats, but 24 hours later he was speaking of progress. Sky News has calculated that since the start of the war, Trump has claimed 22 times that a deal with Iran is close — almost every week.
