Rubio set to travel to Israel for key briefing on US-Iran nuclear talks

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to travel to Israel next week to brief Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the US-Iran nuclear talks, two Trump administration officials told reporters.

Rubio is scheduled to meet with Netanyahu on February 28, according to the officials, who spoke on February 18 under the condition of anonymity to outline travel plans that have not yet been publicly announced, Caliber.Az reports via American media.

The US and Iran have recently conducted two rounds of indirect discussions regarding Tehran’s nuclear program. Iran has agreed to draft a written proposal addressing US concerns raised during this week’s Geneva talks, a senior US official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly.

The official added that top national security advisers convened in the White House Situation Room on February 18 to discuss Iran and were briefed that the “full forces” necessary for potential military action are expected to be in place by mid-March. No timeline was given for when Iran is expected to submit its written response.

Last week, Netanyahu visited the White House to urge President Donald Trump to ensure any nuclear deal with Iran also includes measures to neutralise its ballistic missile program and halt funding to proxy groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.

Trump is currently weighing military options against Tehran as the administration increases its regional military presence, raising concerns that an attack could escalate into a broader Middle East conflict. 

One week ago, Trump told reporters that a change in power in Iran “seems like that would be the best thing that could happen,” adding, “For 47 years, they’ve been talking and talking and talking.”

To reinforce its posture, the Trump administration has dispatched the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, from the Caribbean to the Middle East to join a second carrier and other military assets already deployed in the region.

Dozens of US fighter jets, including F-35s, F-22s, and F-16s, have recently left bases in the US and Europe en route to the Middle East, according to the Military Air Tracking Alliance, a group of roughly 30 open-source analysts who monitor military and government flight activity.

Amid rising tensions, CBS News reported that the United States could carry out a military strike on Iran as early as this weekend.

By Jeyhun Aghazada