"Iran would be very wise to reach a deal"/ White House warning

2026-02-19 09:37:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The White House has warned Iran that it would be "wise" to reach a deal with the United States, as US President Donald Trump again hinted at military action.

The two sides have recently resumed indirect talks, brokered by Oman, after Trump repeatedly threatened military action against Iran over its deadly crackdown on protests last month.

Previous attempts at negotiations collapsed after Israel launched surprise attacks on Iran in June last year, triggering a 12-day war during which Washington also bombed Iran's nuclear facilities.

"Iran would be very wise to reach an agreement with President Trump and his administration," said White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt.

A day earlier, Trump, through a post on Truth Social, again suggested that the US could attack Iran, as the US has deployed military forces in the Middle East.

He warned Britain not to give up sovereignty over the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean, saying the air base on the archipelago, Diego Garcia, could be used if Iran does not accept a deal, "to neutralise a potential attack by a very unstable and dangerous regime".

American television networks CNN and CBS reported on Wednesday that the US military could be ready to launch strikes against Iran as early as this weekend, although Trump has reportedly not yet made a final decision.

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal said that Trump has been briefed on his military options, which are "all designed to maximize damage," including a campaign to "kill dozens of Iranian political and military leaders, with the aim of overthrowing the government," the newspaper reported, citing anonymous US officials.

On Wednesday, Iran's top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, said Iran is "drafting" a framework for future talks with the United States. Iran and the United States held a second round of negotiations in Geneva on Tuesday, mediated by Oman.

Araghchi said Tehran had agreed with Washington on "guiding principles," but US Vice President JD Vance said Iran had not yet accepted all of the US's red lines.

Speaking on Wednesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian insisted that "we do not want war," but hinted that Tehran could not submit to US demands.

"Since the day I took office, I have believed that war should be put aside. But if they are going to try to impose their will on us, humiliate us, and demand that we bow our heads at all costs, should we accept that?"

The Oman-brokered talks aim to avert the possibility of US military action, while Tehran is demanding that Washington lift sanctions that have crippled the Iranian economy.

Iran has insisted that discussions should be limited to nuclear issues, although Washington has previously demanded that Tehran's ballistic missile program and the Islamic Republic's support for armed groups in the region be on the negotiating table. As talks have resumed, the US has deployed forces near Iran.

Washington has ordered the deployment of a second aircraft carrier to the region. The first, the USS Abraham Lincoln, has about 80 aircraft on board and has been positioned about 700 kilometers off the Iranian coast since Sunday, according to satellite images.

Iran has sought to display its military might, as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched a series of military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.

Iranian politicians have repeatedly threatened to block the strait, which is a key route for transporting oil and gas. Earlier this week, Iranian state television said Tehran would close parts of the strait for security reasons while the drills are taking place. /REL