The US president held off from strikes in case Iran agreed to abandon its nuclear programme, an intelligence source said. Trump is reportedly considering strikes on the underground uranium enrichment facility at Fordo. Trump said on Truth Social on Thursday that the Wall Street Journal, which carried a similar report, had "no idea what my thoughts are concerning Iran". He did not address whether plans had been approved. Speculation mounted about Trump's intentions on Wednesday after Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei rejected his demand for surrender.

Khamenei rebuked Trump in his speech, which was broadcast on Iranian television, saying that "any US military intervention" would be costly and added: "The Iranian nation will not surrender."

It was Khamenei's first appearance since Israel launched what it described as pre-emptive strikes on Friday. Iran's mission to the UN also mocked Trump in posts on X, calling him a "has-been warmonger clinging to relevance" and adding that no Iranian official would "grovel at the gates of the White House".Trump brushed off the supreme leader's rejection, saying "good luck", but again declined to disclose his plans. "I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do," he said. (BBC)