EconoTicker

Israeli Channel 12 reported that U.S. President Donald Trump is leaning toward a decision to strike Iran, but will wait a few more days—including another 1–2 days at the request of envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner—to see whether Tehran delivers a written response to U.S. demands. The report also quoted an unnamed U.S. official saying Trump’s earlier 10–15 day deadline was “not scientific.”

The U.S. and Iran are in negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program, with Washington pushing for a halt to all enrichment; Trump has publicly warned of “bad things” if there is no deal within that 10–15-day window.

Source: Channel 12 (via The Times of Israel); Reuters.

Robert Wilkie, a former U.S. deputy secretary of defense, told Newsmax that a limited strike would not force the Islamic Republic to back down—arguing it would still leave Tehran capable of launching large missile salvos at Israel and targeting U.S. bases in the region.

Wilkie said that if an attack happens—something he said he believes should occur because the regime is not one the U.S. can reach a durable agreement with—then it must be “crushing and devastating.”

He added that U.S. airpower and naval forces deployed in the region represent powerful tools for achieving Washington’s objectives.

Source: Newsmax (Wilkie interview).

Iran has sent a new message to the United States via Oman, indicating it is prepared to show greater flexibility on its nuclear program—on the condition that it can keep its uranium enrichment facilities and centrifuges on Iranian soil, according to an Israel Hayom report.

Under the reported proposal, the facilities would remain inactive until the end of a temporary period and operate under strict IAEA oversight, with Tehran insisting enrichment would be for civilian purposes only.

Western sources familiar with the talks said the message followed U.S. dissatisfaction with Iran’s earlier proposal in Geneva. The new offer is reportedly under review in Washington, but still falls well short of U.S. demands.

Source: Israel Hayom.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Iran’s leadership should take President Donald Trump seriously both on negotiations and the use of force, warning that “war may be the only way” Tehran understands how serious Washington is.

Huckabee also said Iran failed to grasp Trump’s seriousness last summer and “regretted it,” pointing to what he called “Operation Midnight Hammer,” and claiming Trump sent B-2 bombers.

He said Trump wants Iran to abandon nuclear ambitions, halt uranium enrichment, and roll back large-scale ballistic missile stockpiles that he argued are not purely defensive. Huckabee added that compliance could open the door to an agreement and peace—but if Iran refuses, “all options are on the table.”

Source: Newsmax (Huckabee interview).

U.S. Senator Dave McCormick said Iranians “deserve to govern their own destiny” in a post on X, shared alongside his Fox News interview. He accused Iran’s government of having “blood on its hands” for the deaths of U.S. soldiers and said its nuclear program has threatened the U.S. and allies for decades.

McCormick described the Iranian regime as economically, militarily, and morally bankrupt, arguing the U.S. president is justified in continuing pressure. He also told Fox News that recent major protests showed the government has lost legitimacy among the Iranian people.

Source: Dave McCormick on X and Fox News.

A senior White House official told the Japan Times that despite President Donald Trump’s rhetoric about striking Iran, there is still no “unified support” inside the administration to move forward with such an attack.

According to a person present at a meeting between White House advisers and Republican campaign officials, participants urged the president to focus on the economy; Trump was not in attendance.

A second White House official, responding to questions about the report, said Trump’s foreign-policy agenda is designed to deliver direct gains for Americans, emphasizing an “America First” approach—whether by making the world safer or by bringing economic benefits back home.

Source: The Japan Times (citing White House officials).

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham told Axios that several advisers close to President Donald Trump have urged him to avoid a military strike on Iran’s ruling system.

Graham said he understands concerns about another large-scale Middle East operation, but argued that advisers counseling restraint are underestimating the risks of letting Tehran operate without tighter constraints—adding that after a recent regional trip, he believes a “historic opportunity” for change in Iran has emerged even as anti-war voices grow louder.

Axios reported that some Trump advisers favor delaying military action and using the U.S. military posture as leverage for concessions, while others question whether a regime-change-type operation would be effective or prudent.

Source: Axios.

Israel’s Ynet published an opinion piece arguing that Washington’s decades-long approach toward the Islamic Republic has been ineffective, despite sanctions, threats, and limited strikes. The author points to historical episodes—such as the 1979 revolution and instances of Western inaction during mass killings—to claim that pressure tactics have failed to change Tehran’s behavior.

The commentary says actions like the killing of Qassem Soleimani or the limited bombing of nuclear facilities may have inflicted damage, but did not stop Iran’s nuclear and missile programs. Ynet argues that only a weeks-long, intense military campaign could disable strategic infrastructure and prevent rebuilding nuclear capacity.

It also warns that pursuing an agreement that Tehran could later violate would merely delay the crisis, potentially leading to a larger war in the future, framing the U.S. decision as one that could reshape regional dynamics and even the global order.

Source: Ynet (opinion/commentary).

Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy, told Fox News that President Donald Trump is “curious” why the Islamic Republic has not retreated despite intensified U.S. pressure and a broad U.S. military posture in the region.

Witkoff said Trump raised the question with him earlier in the day, adding he would not describe the president as “frustrated” because Trump believes he has multiple options.

According to Witkoff, Washington expects Iran to formally declare it is not pursuing a nuclear weapon and to present specific, verifiable steps to prove it.

Source: Fox News (Witkoff interview).

Japan’s Foreign Ministry told Japanese citizens still in Iran to evacuate immediately while commercial flights are operating, warning the situation could change suddenly, and that airspace or airports may be closed, making departure difficult. The ministry noted ongoing constraints such as disrupted internet and international calls, and frequent flight cancellations or delays. Source: according to Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Overseas Safety “Spot Information”).

Tokyo also issued a wide-area regional alert covering 54 countries and regions—including the United States and multiple European states—saying “unpredictable incidents” cannot be ruled out even outside the Middle East. It urged nationals to monitor updates, avoid approaching U.S. military facilities, and keep track of flight disruptions as tensions rise.

Source: according to Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Overseas Safety “Wide-Area Information”).

CBS News reported that U.S. national security officials told President Donald Trump the military could be ready to carry out strikes on Iran as soon as Saturday, February 21. Still, it emphasized Trump had not made a final decision and the timeline could extend beyond the weekend.

Separately, Reuters and CBS report a growing U.S. naval posture in the region, including the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group already in CENTCOM’s Middle East area, with the USS Gerald R. Ford moving to join it as part of a larger buildup.

U.S. lawmakers may vote as early as next week on a War Powers measure aimed at blocking President Donald Trump from launching military action against Iran without explicit congressional authorization, but backers face an uphill fight after repeated past failures to rein in presidential strike authority. In the Senate, Rand Paul and Tim Kaine are pushing a similar resolution, while in the House, Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna are preparing a parallel effort.

A separate bipartisan statement from House members Mike Lawler (R) and Josh Gottheimer (D) rejects the Massie–Khanna push, arguing that as long as “Death to America” remains a regime slogan, Iran represents a persistent threat—citing Tehran’s nuclear program, ballistic missiles, proxy support, and internal repression. Analysts note that a defeat of the war-powers effort could be read as a political tailwind for Trump as he weighs military options amid escalating tensions.

Source: according to Reuters.