US-Iran conflict: Former CIA officer claims attack may take place 'within next 2 days'

A former intelligence insider’s warning has stirred fresh debate in Washington and beyond, after claims that military action against Tehran may take place 'within next 2 days' even as diplomacy continues publicly.  

Appearing on the Julian Dorey Podcast, former CIA officer John Kiriakou alleged that the United States has made a final call to strike Iran within days, citing conversations with a former colleague who had recently been inside the White House.  

Kiriakou claimed that while Donald Trump publicly issued a 10-day ultimatum for Tehran to accept sweeping curbs on its missile and nuclear programmes, such deadlines can function as strategic misdirection rather than firm timelines.  

According to his account, similar tactics have been used in past crises to keep adversaries “off balance” while operational planning proceeds.  

Military movements add to speculation  

Separate reporting by The New York Times indicated that hundreds of personnel were quietly relocated from Al Udeid Air Base, one of Washington’s most important regional installations. Parallel adjustments were also cited by The Jerusalem Post across facilities linked to the US Navy Fifth Fleet.  

Movements were observed across a network of US bases spanning Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates — a footprint that analysts say reflects contingency positioning rather than routine rotations.  

Officials are reportedly concerned that the roughly 30,000-40,000 American troops stationed across the region could become immediate targets if open conflict erupts.  

Tehran signals conditional nuclear flexibility  

Iranian sources, meanwhile, have indicated a willingness to dilute the purity of their highly enriched uranium stockpile under monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency, though they have resisted demands to export the material entirely.  

The proposal is expected to form the core of Tehran’s diplomatic counter-offer, even as military signalling intensifies.  

Iran’s UN mission has warned that, in the event of an attack, regional installations tied to hostile forces would be treated as “legitimate targets,” underscoring the risk of rapid escalation beyond a limited exchange.  

'Internal divisions' in Washington  

Kiriakou also described what he characterised as factional disagreements within the administration. He identified JD Vance and Tulsi Gabbard as voices cautious about military engagement, while a more hawkish bloc was said to include Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth.  

He further alleged that recent leadership reshuffles in senior military ranks were intended to align the chain of command more closely with presidential strategy — an assertion not independently verified.  

Washington’s demands, as described publicly, include ending uranium enrichment, halting ballistic-missile development, and withdrawing support from armed groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.  

Military analysts warn that any confrontation now would differ sharply from past tit-for-tat strikes, given the scale of force positioned across the Gulf and the possibility of simultaneous attacks on multiple installations.  

Kiriakou also suggested that unrelated high-profile announcements — such as renewed discussion around releasing classified UFO-related material — could serve as partial distraction during sensitive geopolitical manoeuvring, though he offered no evidence of coordination.