In those discussions, Mr. Trump broached the idea of attacking Iran to force it to stop growing its nuclear program. Such an attack would be a significant blow to President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr., who wants to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear accord, the signature foreign policy achievement of the Obama administration that Mr. Trump pulled out of in 2018. In Iraq, rocket attacks that the United States has long said were linked to Iran are a staple. But Pentagon officials worry that any uptick in such attacks could give Mr. Trump a reason to retaliate. “The United States will hold Iran accountable for the deaths of any Americans that result from the work” of Iranian-backed militias, the Central Command statement said.

Source: New York Times December 24, 2020 02:03 UTC