us iran tensions trump military action 2026

  US Warns Iran to Make Deal amid Rising Military Tensions 

As the US increases its military presence, the White House says Iran would be "wise" to make a deal. 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.

Trump's press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, stated at a news briefing that the president remained hopeful for a diplomatic solution to the nuclear program in Tehran.

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

 Trump Weighs Military Options against Iran

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 decided whether to launch an attack, and the conversations that were going on at the time were described as fluid.

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."

Geneva Talks Show Limited Progress

The indirect talks on Tuesday in Geneva didn't seem to lead to a breakthrough, but both sides said there were steps in the right direction.

Iran claimed that it and the United States had come to an agreement on the main "guiding principles" that will guide efforts to settle the dispute over Tehran's nuclear program. Abbas Araghchi, the foreign minister, added that additional work was required.

"Progress was made," according to the United States, and the Omani foreign minister, Badr Albusaidi, who is acting as a mediator, said that the negotiations "concluded with good progress" on common goals and technical issues.

When asked about the negotiations in Geneva, the press secretary for the White House stated that Washington and Tehran were still "far apart" on a number of important 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."

 US Military Build-Up and Regional Tensions

Leavitt did not say whether the US would involve Israel in its decision.

Iran announced earlier this week that it and the United States had agreed on the main "guiding principles" for resolving their disagreement regarding Tehran's nuclear program.

While Washington has previously indicated that it would like Iran's missile development to be a part of any discussions, Iran has stated that it wants to focus discussions on its nuclear program and the potential lifting of economic sanctions.

The US and its European allies suspect that Iran is moving towards the development of a nuclear weapon, something that Tehran has always denied.

The US has been ramping up its military presence in the waters near Iran, and as satellite images show the Islamic Republic fortifying sensitive military sites.

The US has also reportedly sent the USS Gerald R Ford, the world's largest warship, to the Middle East.  It is expected to arrive in the region within the next three weeks.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has responded to the US build up by launching a maritime drill in the Strait of Hormuz, located in the Gulf between Oman and Iran, on Monday.

BY WEATHARO.COM