A senior US Central Command officer asked military analysts to propose new ways to pressure Iran, according to a CNN report published Sunday.
Citing sources familiar with the request, CNN said an officer in CENTCOM's intelligence branch sent an email last week seeking "new creative and unconventional ways to pressure and punish Iran."
CNN said the crowdsourcing-style query, unusual for being sent over email, reflects the limited options available to President Donald Trump to push Iran toward a deal on Washington's terms.
CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Timothy Hawkins said in a statement cited by CNN that the command has a history of soliciting ideas from personnel "regardless of rank" to improve operational performance.
"Admiral Cooper, in particular, reaches out to members of our great team, regardless of rank, to achieve the highest levels of operational performance possible," Hawkins said.
The report also cited both the CIA and Defense Intelligence Agency as having assessed that the current bombing campaign is unlikely to shift Iran's negotiating position.
Over the recent weeks, the US and Iran exchanged military strikes, with Washington attacking targets inside Iran and Tehran responding by targeting what it described as US military facilities and equipment in several Arab countries, particularly Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait.
The escalation followed a memorandum of understanding signed by Washington and Tehran in June and the launch of negotiations toward a final agreement. The talks later stalled over disagreements on security guarantees and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most strategic routes for global energy supplies and trade.
