By Steve Holland
WASHINGTON, Feb 18 (Reuters) – Iran is expected to submit a written proposal on how to resolve its standoff with the United States in the wake of U.S.-Iran talks in Geneva on Tuesday, a senior U.S. official told Reuters on Wednesday.
Top U.S. national security advisers met in the White House Situation Room on Wednesday to discuss Iran and were told all U.S. military forces deployed to the region should be in place by mid-March, the official said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel to discuss Iran on February 28, the official said.
Tuesday’s indirect discussions in Geneva between U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, alongside Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, were aimed at heading off a mounting crisis between the two countries.
The United States wants Iran to give up its nuclear program, and Iran has adamantly refused and denied it is trying to develop an atomic weapon.
Iran agreed to make a written proposal on how to address U.S. concerns during the Geneva talks, the senior U.S. official said.
“We are currently waiting for that from the Iranians,” the official said.
The U.S. has sought to expand the scope of talks to non-nuclear issues such as Iran’s missile stockpile. Iran says it is willing only to discuss curbs on its nuclear program, in exchange for sanctions relief, and that it will not give up uranium enrichment completely or discuss its missile program.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Wednesday that some progress was made in Geneva but that “we’re still very apart on some issues.”
Trump has ordered a major military buildup in the region as he contemplates use of force with a second aircraft carrier group en route.
“The president has ordered the continued buildup in the region, including the arrival of the second carrier group. Full forces should be in place by mid-March,” the senior U.S. official said.
(Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Chris Reese and Alistair Bell)
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