A few days after U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen reiterated that all options remain on the table regarding the Iranian nuclear program – a reference to a possible military strike — a senior Obama administration official clarified the point, saying a military strike is a long term option and is “off the table in the near term.” Speaking to reporters in Singapore, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Michele Flournoy said, “Right now the focus is a combination of engagement and pressure in the form of sanctions.” But Flournoy’s statement was not the end of it. Underscoring the volatility of the issue within the administration, a Pentagon spokesman clarified Flournoy’s clarification. Defense Department Chief Spokesman Geoff Morrell said that no option is off the table regarding the Iranian nuclear program. He said, “there is always the option at the president’s disposal of taking military action.” Meanwhile Iran appears interested in sending a message about a military option of its own. The Revolutionary Guard is this week holding exercises in the Strait of Hormuz– a waterway necessary for international shipping of oil. And on Wednesday, Supreme Ruler Ayatollah Khamenei lashed out at President Obama, imploring the international community to “not let Obama get away with nuclear threats.”