Why Trump isnt rushing back into war with Iran despite Tehrans provocations

WASHINGTON — President Trump has repeatedly warned Iran that military action remains on the table if nuclear negotiations collapse — but nearly two months after a fragile cease-fire was declared, the White House remains willing to take the diplomatic path, despite repeated Iranian military provocations.“The president hasn’t struck at this point because he still believes that this can be resolved through the ongoing diplomatic process, because he still has faith in it at the moment,” said Alex Plitsas, a former Pentagon official and Atlantic Council fellow.“The moment that he loses faith in the process, that it’s going to produce an outcome he’s looking for, military options are on the table, and the US is prepared to execute them upon order.”The administration insists the slow pace of negotiations are largely due to logistics.Messages often take two or three days to reach Iran’s leadership because couriers must physically relay communications between negotiators and key decision-makers in Tehran, a White House official told The Post.Even with that wrinkle, talks have dragged on far longer than many expected.Meanwhile, Iran hammered Kuwait with 13 ballistic missiles and 17 drones — some of which were meant for US military positions —Tuesday night, leading some analysts to believe that Iran is purposely delaying negotiations and are unafraid of US retaliation.“The Iranians think they have the upper hand because they have progressively violated the terms of the cease-fire and Trump’s red lines, more and more, with no reaction from Donald Trump save small ‘defensive’ strikes,” said Danielle Pletka of the American Enterprise Institute.“They’re so confident in their position that they are manipulating Donald Trump and his negotiators in order to leverage a better position for Hezbollah in Lebanon,” added Pletka, who charged the administration “has played a very strong hand like a weakling.”European and Middle Eastern leaders ha...