Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, May 23: US President Donald Trump shared an edited image on his social media platform showing Iran covered in the colours of the American flag, captioned “United States of the Middle East?”, amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran.

The post came as discussions intensified within the US administration over possible military action against Iran if diplomatic negotiations fail.

Days earlier, Trump had also shared AI-generated images depicting missile strikes on Iranian boats, space warfare and an American flag flying over Iran.

According to reports citing US officials, Trump is seriously considering fresh military strikes against Iran if ongoing diplomatic efforts fail to achieve a breakthrough.

The matter was reportedly discussed during a high-level national security meeting attended by Vice President JD Vance, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and other senior officials.

The meeting focused on the status of negotiations and possible military contingency plans.

Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts between the US and Iran continue amid deep differences between the two sides.

Asim Munir visited Tehran as part of mediation efforts aimed at reducing tensions between Washington and Tehran. A delegation from Qatar also arrived in Tehran to support negotiations.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf reportedly told Munir that the United States was not acting honestly in negotiations and asserted that Iran would not compromise on its national rights.

Iranian state media reported that Munir also met President Masoud Pezeshkian in the presence of Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.

The talks reportedly focused on a 14-point proposal put forward by Iran as a framework for negotiations and on messages exchanged between both sides.

Qalibaf warned that Iran’s armed forces had rebuilt their capabilities during the ceasefire period and cautioned that any renewed conflict would lead to stronger retaliation.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said some progress had been achieved in negotiations, though significant work remained.

Iran’s foreign ministry, however, stated that major differences between Tehran and Washington still persisted.

Despite weeks of conflict, Iran has reportedly retained its stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium along with its missile, drone and proxy capabilities, which both the US and Israel have repeatedly sought to curb.