Steve Holland
WASHINGTON, Feb 18 (Reuters) – Iran is expected to submit a written proposal on how to resolve its standoff with the United States after talks between the United States and Iran in Geneva on Tuesday, a senior U.S. official said. officials 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 that all U.S. troops deployed to the region should be in place by mid-March, the official said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel on February 28 to discuss Iran, the official said.
U.S. envoys Steve Witkopf and Jared Kushner and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi held indirect discussions in Geneva on Tuesday aimed at stemming a growing crisis between the two countries.
The United States wants Iran to abandon its nuclear program, but Iran firmly refuses and denies that it is trying to develop atomic weapons.
Senior U.S. officials said Iran agreed to submit a written proposal on how to address U.S. concerns during talks in Geneva.
“We are currently waiting for a response from Iran,” the official said.
The United States seeks to expand the scope of negotiations to include non-nuclear issues such as Iran’s missile inventory. Iran has said it is only willing to discuss limits on its nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions and will not completely abandon uranium enrichment or discuss its missile program.
White House press secretary Carolyn Levitt told reporters on Wednesday that some progress had been made at the Geneva meeting, but “we still have deep differences on some issues.”
Trump has ordered a massive military buildup in the region as he considers the use of force against a second aircraft carrier group en route.
“The president has ordered continued build-up in the region, including the arrival of the second aircraft carrier strike group. All forces should be in place by mid-March,” the senior U.S. official said.
(Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Chris Rees and Alistair Bell)
