TEHRAN – Recently there are some contradictory reports on possible US President Donald Trump’s military action against Iran before leaving the office on Jan 20, 2021.

TEHRAN – Recently there are some contradictory reports on possible US President Donald Trump’s military action against Iran before leaving the office on Jan 20, 2021.

New York Times wrote, “President Trump asked senior advisers in an Oval Office meeting on Thursday whether he had options to take action against Iran’s main nuclear site in the coming weeks.

A range of senior advisers dissuaded the president from moving ahead with a military strike. The advisers — including Vice President Mike Pence; Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; Christopher C. Miller, the acting defense secretary; and Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — warned that a strike against Iran’s facilities could easily escalate into a broader conflict in the last weeks of Mr. Trump’s presidency.”

While New York Times says Trump was the initiator of this plan, some other sources say the plan was initiated by other officials of the White House but Trump was not interested in it. 

Regarding the psychological warfare orchestrated against Iran by some US Medias, some points and possibilities should not be neglected:

- On the eve of the martyrdom of Lt. General Qasim Soleimani (Jan. 2nd) assassinated by US forces in Iraq, maybe the US administration is worried about possible Iran’s revenge and actions against the US interests in the region. Therefore the recent US psychological war can be interpreted as a part of the White House’s efforts to create a balance of horror to prevent Iran’s possible measures against the US interests.

- Why has Trump revealed its plan if he really intends to pave the way for military action against Iran or its regional allies? Why doesn’t he want to attack Iran or its allies unexpectedly like what Washington did during the assassination of Lt. Gen. Soleimani?

- Trump’s possible move can also be considered as part of his efforts to increase the costs of his removal from power for his opponents and rival Biden and also to satisfy his rightist supporters.

- One more point: it should not be forgotten that making such a dangerous decision that can lead to an all-out regional war cannot be made by Trump himself. Such a decision needs confirmation of both US Republicans and Democrats, so any Media reports to introduce Trump as the only responsible for a possible attack on Iran aims to reduce the consequences of such a dangerous possible measure and contain and limit Iran’s response. US recent moves to reduce the number of its troops in Iraq and the region can be interpreted as the White House's tactic to decrease its possible fatalities and losses.