The Pentagon announced new measures Friday to lessen the chance of escalation.
In this July 22, 2022, file photo, U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer speaks during a joint statement with Colombia's President-elect Gustavo Petro, in Bogota, Colombia., White House Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer said the United States is "preparing for every possibility" regarding potential retaliation from Iran.
When asked by Stephanopoulos if there are any back-channel conversations with Iran about how to contain the escalation, Finer was tight-lipped but said the U.S. is doing everything it can to make sure the conflict doesn't expand. But concerns about reaching such a deal grew last week after both a Hezbollah commander, Fouad Shukr, and a top Hamas political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, were killed in separate incidents. Israel took responsibility for the strike that killed Shukr but has not said if it was also behind the attack that killed Haniyeh in Tehran, which Iran has blamed on Israel.
President Joe Biden stands beside the families of Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza in the Oval Office as they speak to their loved ones for the first time since they regained freedom, at the White House, on Aug. 1, 2024."The president and their families were gathered in the Oval Office and they showed just extraordinary strength," Finer said. "It was quite a moving scene.
"The newsroom did its part in reporting and having the emotional support, putting a spotlight on it. But as a company, we wanted to get our guy back and we pushed really hard," he added.
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