Donald Trump asked his White House advisers last week for ‘options’ to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities, according to a report.
The outgoing president made the request in the Oval Office last Thursday but was talked out of it by senior administration officials.
Mr Trump was reportedly told by vice president Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and others that such action could lead to a wider escalation of conflict in the final weeks of his presidency.
The subject was raised after international inspectors reported a large increase in Iran’s stockpile of nuclear material, officials told the Times.