Overview
- President Donald Trump said he will decide within roughly 10 days whether to order strikes on Iran, stressing that Tehran must not obtain a nuclear weapon.
- U.S. deployments now feature the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford carrier groups, expanded combat aviation, and reinforced Patriot and THAAD defenses, with officials saying strike options are ready on short notice.
- Iran temporarily closed parts of the Strait of Hormuz during live-fire drills and missile tests, and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned the United States could face a powerful retaliatory blow.
- Indirect negotiations in Geneva produced what Iran called guiding principles for a potential nuclear accord, while U.S. officials said major gaps remain and Tehran will present detailed proposals in two weeks.
- Brent crude rose to about $71 a barrel as Iran and Russia conducted joint naval maneuvers near the key waterway and regional militaries adjusted their postures.