- Indirect discussions between Washington and Tehran aimed at avoiding crisis
- The White House reviews the regional deployment of US troops, scheduled for mid-March.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Netanyahu on February 28 about Iran.
Iran is expected to present a formal proposal outlining measures to ease tensions with the United States, following indirect talks in Geneva on Tuesday, a senior US official said. Reuters On Wednesday.
The talks, involving US envoys and Iran’s top diplomat, were aimed at preventing the standoff from escalating further.
Top U.S. national security advisers met Wednesday in the White House Situation Room to discuss Iran and were told that all U.S. military forces deployed to the region should be deployed by mid-March, the official said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel to discuss Iran on February 28, the official said.
Tuesday’s indirect talks in Geneva between US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, along with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, were aimed at averting a growing crisis between the two countries.
The United States wants Iran to abandon its nuclear program, and Iran has steadfastly refused and denied that it is trying to develop an atomic weapon.
Iran agreed to make a written proposal on how to address US concerns during the Geneva talks, the senior US official said.
“We are currently expecting that from the Iranians,” the official said.
The United States has sought to expand the scope of talks to non-nuclear issues such as Iran’s missile arsenal. Iran says it is only willing to discuss restrictions on its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief and will not completely abandon uranium enrichment or discuss its missile program.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday that some progress was made in Geneva, but “we are still very far apart on some issues.”
Trump has ordered a major military buildup in the region as he contemplates the use of force with a second aircraft carrier group on the way.
“The president has ordered the continuation of the buildup in the region, including the arrival of the second carrier group. Full forces should be in place by mid-March,” the senior US official said.
