Trump Gave Iran Two Weeks — Then Struck in Two Days. Here's Why He Didn't Wait

Former US President Donald Trump sent Iran a clear warning: Tehran has up to two weeks to defuse the situation or risk military action. However, the U.S. military severely damaged Iran's nuclear program two days later when it launched a surprise attack on important nuclear facilities.

According to a report by Axios, Trump had been weighing a diplomatic option before resorting to force. The possibility of direct talks between U.S. and Iranian officials was reportedly floated during a call between Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan earlier in the week, while Trump was attending the G7 summit in Canada.

Erdoğan offered to mediate the talks and relayed the idea to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Trump was reportedly open to sending Vice President JD Vance and White House envoy Steve Witkoff to Turkey for the negotiations—and even offered to join the talks himself if necessary.

However, the effort quickly unraveled. Pezeshkian and Araghchi were unable to reach Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had reportedly gone into hiding in a secure underground bunker amid fears of a possible assassination attempt. With no green light from Khamenei, Iran declined to move forward, and Turkey informed the U.S. that talks were off the table.

Despite the setback, Erdoğan continued pushing for diplomacy, meeting with Araghchi in Istanbul in a last-ditch effort to revive discussions. But the same day, the U.S. military launched a coordinated airstrike against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

Stealth B-2 bombers took off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri and targeted three major nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. Armed with bunker-busting bombs, the U.S. joined Israel in a dramatic escalation against Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Trump later took to Truth Social, saying the operation involved a “full payload of bombs” dropped on Fordow, a site long considered invulnerable to Israeli strikes. “There is not another military in the world that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!” Trump posted.

While Trump urged Iran to reconsider its stance and accused it of being a “Middle East bully,” Tehran condemned the attack as a “grave violation” and said it reserved the right to defend itself.

The strikes follow heightened tensions in the region since the outbreak of the Iran-Israel conflict on June 13, with Washington warning Tehran to stand down or face serious consequences.

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