Trump weighs Iran strike, sets conditions for US involvement - Axios

The Israeli military’s spokesman said the air force struck the headquarters of the Special Forces unit of Iran’s Internal Security Forces in Tehran, as part of ongoing attacks on the Islamic Republic’s military infrastructure.

“The Internal Security Forces are one of the regime’s key military bodies,” Effie Defrin said during a press briefing on Thursday.

A group of people is allegedly attempting to mobilize a number of religious scholars in the holy city of Qom to call for what Iran’s Tasnim news agency described as “a form of surrender and compromise” with Israel.

Tasnim, affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported that the individuals, described as having “questionable backgrounds,” are seeking to act in tandem with Israel’s attacks on Iran.

According to the report, the group fears a strong government backlash and is considering positioning a former official as the public face of their initiative.

“They fear a strong response from the establishment and are therefore seeking to position a former official as the figurehead of this treacherous move — although that official has not yet responded to their approach.”

Tasnim did not name any officials.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed a scheduled meeting tomorrow between European diplomats and Iran as a positive step amid ongoing tensions, a spokesman said on Thursday.

The foreign ministers of Britain, France, and Germany will meet in Geneva with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric emphasized that “diplomacy is the only and best way forward” to end the Israel-Iran conflict, urging all parties to “stop the military action and avoid at any cost the further internationalization of this conflict.”

The Czech foreign ministry said on Thursday it was temporarily closing its embassy in Tehran for security reasons.

The White House said on Thursday that President Donald Trump will make a decision within two weeks on whether to launch a military strike on Iran.

Citing a message from Trump, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters: "Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks."

“It is a fact and the United States government maintains this fact that Iran has never been closer to obtaining a nuclear weapon,” Leavitt said when asked whether Trump is relying on US intelligence or intelligence sharing from an ally when he says Iran is very close to a nuclear weapon.

About the possibility of a deal with Iran, she said, "Iran is in a very weak and vulnerable position because of the strikes and the attacks from Israel... And he has been very direct and clear. Iran can and should make a deal. We sent a deal to them that was practical, that was realistic, or they will face grave consequences."

Replying a question about how close Iran is to potentially build a nuclear bomb, the spokeswoman said, "Iran has all that it needs to achieve a nuclear weapon. All they need is a decision from the Supreme Leader to do that. And it would take a couple of weeks to complete the production of that weapon, which would, of course, pose an existential threat, not just to Israel, but to the United States and to the entire world."