Washington wants a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear program, but is open to other options, US Vice President J. D. Vance said.
“As the president has said many times, he wants to resolve this issue diplomatically. But, of course, the president has other options“, he told reporters at the White House.
At the same time, the politician accused the Islamic Republic of trying to restore nuclear weapons, noting that the US side has evidence of this.
On Thursday, representatives of the two countries will hold a third round of consultations on the Iranian nuclear program in Geneva. The Iranian delegation will be led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, while the US delegation will be led by US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff. Like the previous two rounds held in Muscat and Geneva, these talks will be indirect and mediated by Oman.
A day earlier, Donald Trump announced that he had not yet received a promise from Tehran not to develop nuclear weapons, despite Iran's repeated public statements that it has no plans for such weapons. He urged the republic to make a deal, threatening a "bad day" if it did not.
The US president is insisting that Iran conclude a nuclear deal. He warned that otherwise the Islamic Republic would face a much more powerful attack than last summer.
In early February, the two countries held talks in Oman. According to Araghchi, they have managed to develop key principles for working on an agreement that guarantees the use of nuclear energy only for peaceful purposes. The second round of discussions was held on February 17 in Geneva. Tehran insists on its right to enrich uranium, even if it leads to war.
Meanwhile, Washington continues to amass military forces in the region. In late January, the United States sent an armada of warships to the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf. Last week, Trump said he was considering a limited strike against Iran. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Americans could initially attack military or government sites. If Tehran continues to enrich uranium, Washington will launch a full-scale campaign against government sites.
On Tuesday, the newspaper reported that more than 150 military aircraft and approximately a third of all active US ships are concentrated near Iran.