US indicates potential Iran strike plans are ‘in advanced stages’ – report

The official said the Pentagon is shaping its options “to circumstances and developments,” adding that personnel in the Middle East are positioned “for any contingency, any mission, and to defend themselves and our interests.”

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

The United States is moving forward with contingency planning for potential military action against Iran, a senior American official told Al Jazeera on Monday, describing the preparations as already “in the advanced stages.”

According to the official, US forces stationed across the region have been directed to remain ready for a range of scenarios as tensions rise amid nationwide unrest in Iran.

The official said the Pentagon is shaping its options “to circumstances and developments,” adding that personnel in the Middle East are positioned “for any contingency, any mission, and to defend themselves and our interests.”

The disclosure came as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met in recent days with Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, to discuss the widening protest movement sweeping the Islamic Republic.

Axios reported that Araghchi initiated the contact, a move that followed repeated warnings from Trump that he may not rule out a military response if violence inside Iran escalates further.

In a separate development, Trump said Monday that Tehran has asked to resume talks aimed at reaching a revised nuclear agreement.

Speaking aboard Air Force One, he said Iran “wants to negotiate,” explaining that he believes its leadership is worn down by sustained American pressure.

The president suggested a meeting could take place but noted that Washington “may need to act before a meeting with them,” signaling that planning is underway to coordinate such an encounter.

Protests across Iran entered a third week as human rights groups released mounting casualty figures.

The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported Tuesday that at least 544 people have been killed over the first 15 days of unrest.

Its breakdown listed 483 demonstrators, 47 personnel from the “military or law enforcement,” one “government-affiliated non-civilian,” and five civilians who were not part of the protests.

HRANA also documented the deaths of five minors, though those cases were counted separately from the overall total.

The group said it is reviewing reports of an additional 579 fatalities and noted that more than 10,680 people have been arrested since the demonstrations began.