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Decision-making circles in the United States and Israel have moved past diplomacy with Iran, viewing military action as effectively decided, with only the timing still under debate, a Western source familiar with coordination talks told Iran International.
According to the source, the key question in current meetings is no longer whether an attack will take place, but when an appropriate operational and political window will emerge — a window that could open in the coming days or take shape over the course of several weeks.
The source emphasized that, at this stage, the logic being discussed — unlike in previous periods — is not based on “reaching a new agreement.”
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he planned to speak with Iran, even as he sent another warship to the Middle East and the Pentagon chief said the military would be ready to carry out whatever the president decided.
Iran however says it will not engage in negotiations unless President Trump stops threatening it.
The source told Iran International that recent assessments identify the primary objective as delivering a decisive blow to maximally weaken and ultimately collapse Iran’s governing structure; a scenario that, in his words, is not comparable in scale or intensity to anything Iran has experienced so far.
The source said the operation under discussion would be “unprecedented,” stressing: “This time, we will be facing an attack the likes of which have not been seen before.”
According to the source, joint US-Israeli discussions have also concluded that current conditions for action differ from the past.
He said decision-makers believe the present situation has created a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” and that, as a result, willingness to accept risk — compared with the 12-day war — has increased markedly.
The source said that during the 12-day war last June, both Washington and Tel Aviv avoided taking greater risks, but the prevailing view now is that the current moment must be seized.
In June, Israel launched a surprise military offensive against Iran, followed by US strikes on June 22 targeting key nuclear facilities in Isfahan, Natanz and Fordow.
The attacks were launched when Iran failed to reach an agreement with the United States within a 60-day deadline set by Trump.
The US president said on Friday that he had directly communicated a deadline to Iran for reaching a deal, but offered no further details.
'Israel on full alert'
The source also said Israel’s role could alter the scope of the scenario ahead. According to him, if Israel becomes directly involved — something he said has been planned for — the scale of the operation would expand, and in that case, the 12-day war would appear “very small” compared with the plans currently on the table.
The source said Israel is on full alert and that one scenario under discussion involves waiting for a “spark” to trigger the next phase, such as Iran attempting to fire a first missile toward Israel, which could then be used as justification for launching a far broader and more destructive campaign.
“The decision has been made. This will happen. The only question is when.”
The US State Department said on Friday Iranians are being extorted and forced to pay just to access the internet for a few hours through VPNs, while many families struggle to afford rent and basic food amid the country’s economic crisis.
“Iranians should not have to choose between meeting their basic needs and staying connected to the world," the State Department's Persian-language account posted on X. "Open the internet."
"In these critical conditions, where countless families have been rendered unable to cover rent or procure food due to the economic mismanagement of the Islamic Republic regime, officials shamelessly exploit people's suffering and profit from it," the post said.
Iran’s cabinet on Friday condemned the European Union’s decision to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a “terrorist organisation,” calling it “illogical,” and a violation of international law.
Tehran said the European Union had stepped onto a wrong path. The government said the move was a, "sensational, unconstructive and unlawful behavior regarding one of the institutions of national sovereignty".
The EU on Thursday agreed to list the IRGC as a terrorist organization, a move that carries consequences including asset freezes, criminal liability for material support within the bloc, and tighter enforcement against IRGC-linked networks in Europe.
Several Afghan migrants were killed during Iran’s recent nationwide protests, with some taking part alongside Iranian demonstrators and others shot despite having no direct involvement, a source confirmed to Afghanistan International.
The protests began in Tehran and several other cities in late December, initially driven by public anger over the sharp fall in Iran’s national currency, soaring inflation and worsening economic conditions.
A series of messages circulated in Afghan migrant WhatsApp and Telegram groups during the early days of the protests, urging migrants not to participate, a source told Afghanistan International.
The messages warned that sharing photos or videos could have serious consequences, reflecting widespread fear of arrest, deportation or forced expulsion.
An Afghan migrant living in Mashhad told Afghanistan International that many Afghans in Iran deliberately avoid political activity because of their precarious legal status, particularly protesting the government.
He added that some migrants joined the demonstrations nonetheless due to severe economic hardship.
Sources also said that amid an increase in security checkpoints, some Afghan migrants began using images of senior Islamic Republic figures as phone wallpapers, fearing inspections of their mobile phones by security forces.
Afghanistan International confirmed the identities of several Afghan nationals killed during the protests, including 16-year-old Amirhossein Moradi, who was shot in Mashhad and later died in hospital.
The human rights organization Hengaw also confirmed the deaths of three other Afghan nationals in the city. Sources say families were warned against speaking to the media before being allowed to bury their relatives.
Additional cases have been reported in Tehran, Karaj and Isfahan, including Afghan migrants and children killed by direct or indiscriminate fire, some while not participating in protests. Internet restrictions and pressure on families have made it difficult to establish accurate figures.
Afghan migrants have previously been killed during protests in Iran. During the 2022 nationwide unrest, Amnesty International reported that at least two Afghan teenagers were killed by Iranian security forces, with their families later threatened into silence.
Iran’s consul general in Herat has denied Afghan involvement in the recent protests, claiming some actors are attempting to damage relations between Iran and Afghanistan.
More than 36,500 Iranians were killed by security forces during the January 8-9 crackdown on nationwide protests, making it the deadliest two-day protest massacre in history, according to documents reviewed by Iran International's Editorial Board.
Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand on Friday welcomed the European Union’s decision to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, adding that Ottawa stands with the Iranian people against ongoing human rights abuses.
“Pleased to see EU allies join Canada in listing the IRGC as a terrorist entity. Collectively, we stand with the brave people of Iran and condemn the continuous violations of their basic human rights,” she posted on X.
