Summary

Caroline Levitt, the spokesperson for US President Donald Trump, said on Tuesday that Trump's first option in dealing with Iran is always diplomacy, but he is prepared to use lethal force if necessary.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Tuesday that reaching an agreement with the United States has become "within reach, but only if diplomatic avenues are prioritized," two days before anticipated talks between the two sides in Geneva.

Araqchi stressed in a post on platform X that "Iran will resume talks with the United States in Geneva determined to reach a fair and equitable agreement in the shortest possible time," adding that "we have a historic opportunity to reach an unprecedented agreement that dispels common concerns and meets common interests."

Dutch Protest

The Dutch Foreign Ministry summoned Iran's ambassador to Amsterdam on Tuesday to protest the confiscation of a Dutch diplomat's luggage at Tehran airport, saying in a statement that "Iran caused a diplomatic incident on January 28 by forcing a Dutch diplomat to surrender his diplomatic luggage at Tehran airport, which is unacceptable."

The ministry confirmed that it had repeatedly asked Iran to immediately release the confiscated luggage, without giving further details, explaining that it summoned the ambassador after Iran published a video of the incident online.

Diplomacy Option

Caroline Levitt, the spokesperson for US President Donald Trump, said on Tuesday that Trump's first option in dealing with Iran is always diplomacy, but he is prepared to use lethal force if necessary.

This comes as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio prepares to brief senior congressional leaders on the situation regarding Iran later on Tuesday.

Levitt told reporters at the White House, "President Trump's first option is always diplomacy. But as he has shown, he is prepared to use the lethal force of the United States military if necessary." She added, "The president is always the ultimate decision-maker."

The US State Department indicated that Rubio is scheduled to brief senior congressional leaders at the White House later on Tuesday. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that Rubio is expected to update lawmakers on developments regarding Iran.

The United States has deployed a massive naval force near Iran's coasts in preparation for potential strikes. Trump said on February 19 that he was giving Tehran between 10 and 15 days to reach a deal.

Trump may address his threats to bomb Iran over its nuclear program when he delivers his State of the Union address this evening.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard began military exercises along Iran's southern coast off the Gulf, according to state television, as the United States intensifies pressure on Tehran.

Iranian state television said these maneuvers, which "focus on the southern coasts and nearby islands," include missiles, artillery, drones, special forces, and armored vehicles, while the United States has deployed a large naval and air presence in the region, keeping open the possibility of strikes against Iran.

Largest Aircraft Carrier

The world's largest US aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, has arrived at the US naval base in Souda Bay on the Greek island of Crete, en route to joining a large US military buildup in the Middle East.

The carrier arrived at the Greek island on Monday, according to a photographer from Agence France-Presse.

The Greek Defense Ministry declined to comment on the carrier's arrival, and the US embassy in Athens did not immediately respond to AFP inquiries.

The naval base at Souda, used by NATO, the United States, and other Western countries, is located in western Crete near the port of Chania, according to a Greek military source.

The business newspaper Naftemporiki reported that the US aircraft carrier, "accompanied by the destroyer USS Mahan, will remain in Souda for four days for replenishment."

The newspaper added that it will then depart the port and arrive "in approximately 24 hours off the Israeli coast."

Constantinos Arvanitopoulos, a professor of international politics at the University of Panteion in Athens, told Athens 9.84 FM on Tuesday that "Iran knows very well that the United States has naval bases in a number of Western countries."

He added that Greece, as a member of NATO and the European Union, traditionally maintains a "strategic relationship with the United States."

Deal with China

Six informed sources said Iran is close to finalizing a deal with China to purchase anti-ship cruise missiles, as the United States deploys a massive naval force near Iran's coasts ahead of potential strikes against it.

The sources familiar with the negotiations said the deal involves Chinese-made CM-302 missiles and is nearing completion, although a delivery date has not been agreed upon.

The supersonic missiles have a range of about 290 kilometers and are designed to evade naval defenses by flying at low altitude and high speed.

Two weapons experts said deploying such missiles would significantly enhance Iran's offensive capabilities, posing a threat to US naval forces in the region.

The six sources revealed that negotiations with China to purchase the missile weapon systems began at least two years ago but accelerated sharply after the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June.

Risks of Major Operation Against Iran

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Monday denied reports that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff had warned of the risks of a major operation against Iran, insisting that Washington could "easily" defeat Tehran in any conflict.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said that General Dan Caine, "like all of us, does not want war, but if a decision is made to take action against Iran militarily, in his opinion it is something that can be easily won."

Trump said in a social media post on Monday that if the United States does not reach an agreement with Iran regarding its nuclear ambitions, "it will be a very bad day for that country, and unfortunately for its people."

For its part, Iran warned on Monday that it would respond "forcefully" to any US attack, regardless of its scale, and reiterated a warning of regional escalation in response to the US president's threat of limited strikes against it.

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Tehran and Washington trade threats and warnings as both sides seek to reach an agreement on Iran's nuclear program through indirect talks set to resume in Switzerland on Thursday with Omani mediation.