The White House has warned Iran would be “very wise” to make a deal with the US, amid reports that President Donald Trump is weighing fresh military action against the Islamic Republic.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt told a news briefing that Trump was still hoping for a diplomatic resolution over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
Her comments come as the US moves a second battleship into the region, and a day after progress was reported at US-Iran talks in Switzerland.
US media reported on Wednesday that Trump had discussed attack options with advisers, and that a US strike could take place as early as Saturday. Last summer the US military launched strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities.
Trump had not yet made a final decision about whether to attack and ongoing conversations were described as fluid, sources have told to the BBC’s US partner CBS News.
Leavitt told reporters on Wednesday there were “many reasons and arguments that one could make for a strike against Iran”.
She referred to US strikes in June, adding: “Iran would be very wise to make a deal with President Trump and with his administration.”
Although no breakthrough seemed to have emerged from Tuesday’s indirect talks in Geneva, both sides indicated that there had been steps in the right direction.
Iran said an understanding had been reached with the US on the main “guiding principles” that will frame efforts to resolve the dispute around Tehran’s nuclear programme. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi added that work still needed to be done.
The US said “progress was made” and Badr Albusaidi, the foreign minister of Oman, which is mediating the talks, said the negotiations “concluded with good progress” on common aims and technical issues.
Asked about the Geneva negotiations, the White House press secretary said that Washington and Tehran were still “far apart” on some key issues.
“I think you heard from the administration and the state department yesterday that there was a little bit of progress made, but we’re still very far apart on some issues,” Leavitt said.
“I believe the Iranians are expected to come back to us with some more detail in the next couple of weeks, and so the president will continue to watch how this plays out.”
Leavitt declined to say whether Israel would be involved in the US decision.
