White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday that US President Donald Trump continues to prioritise diplomacy with Iran and views it as the preferred path before any consideration of military action related to the nuclear issue.
Leavitt cautioned that Tehran would benefit from reaching an agreement with Washington. “There are arguments one can make for a strike against Iran. The President had a successful operation as commander-in-chief with Operation Midnight Hammer, completely obliterated Iran’s nuclear facilities. The President has always been clear that with Iran or any other country, diplomacy is the first option, and Iran would be wise to make a deal with President Trump”, she said.
She added that Trump is actively consulting his advisers while weighing possible responses. “He is talking to many people, firstly, his national security team. This is something the President takes seriously, thinking about what is in the best interest of America and its people. That is how he will decide on a military action,” she stated.
Leavitt also indicated that American officials remain in contact with Israel, though she stopped short of confirming any planned military steps. She noted that discussions with Iranian representatives in Geneva had produced limited movement but that key disagreements remain unresolved. “There was a little bit of progress made, but we are still far apart on some issues. We expect the Iranians to come back with the details in the next couple of weeks. The president will continue to watch how this plays out,” she said.
Earlier in the week, US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held talks with Iranian officials in Geneva. According to a US official, Tehran is expected to return within two weeks with detailed proposals following the high-stakes negotiations. “Progress was made, but there are still a lot of details to discuss. The Iranians said they would come back in the next two weeks with detailed proposals to address some of the open gaps in our positions,” the official said.
Speculation about possible American military action had intensified worldwide as both sides adopted firm public stances before the negotiations. Trump had warned of the “consequences of not making a deal” and urged Iran to act “reasonable” in the next round, while referencing the June 2025 B-2 bomber strike.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei responded with a pointed message challenging Trump’s claims about US military strength. In posts on X, he wrote, “The US President keeps saying that they have the strongest military force in the world. The strongest military force in the world may at times be struck so hard that it cannot get up again.”
