In yet another sign that irony is dead, President Donald Trump on Thursday used the first meeting of his “Board of Peace” to discuss the prospect of starting a war with Iran. Trump noted that talks are ongoing, but said “bad things will happen” if the two sides fail to reach an agreement. Regarding the possibility of a military attack against Iran, Trump said, “You’re going to be finding out probably over the next 10 days.” That roughly matches up with the outcome of the latest round of negotiations in Geneva earlier this week, after which the Iranian side asked for up to two weeks to come back with a specific set of proposals that would form the basis for further discussions. All of this comes as Trump has ordered the biggest build-up of military assets in and around the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. U.S. officials are warning that, unlike the limited U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities that Trump ordered last summer in coordination with Israel, a new wave of attacks could spark a conflict that lasts for weeks.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 20, 2026 03:33 UTC