White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt gestures during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Feb. 18, 2026. The White House on Wednesday declined to set a deadline for the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, saying Tehran is expected to present more details on its negotiating position within weeks. (Photo by Li Yuanqing/Xinhua)

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The White House on Wednesday declined to set a deadline for the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, saying Tehran is expected to present more details on its negotiating position within weeks.

"Diplomacy is always his (President Donald Trump's) first option," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a daily briefing.

But she said "there are many reasons and arguments that one could make for a strike against Iran."

Leavitt declined to set a deadline for the talks between Washington and Tehran, saying that she is not going to "set deadlines on behalf of the President of the United States."

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on Tuesday that the talks showed some positive signs but key U.S. red lines remain unmet.

A Trump adviser said the White House is moving closer to possible military actions, estimating a "90 percent chance" of strikes within weeks if talks fail, Axios reported Tuesday.

Any U.S. operation could involve a large-scale, weeks-long campaign, potentially conducted jointly with Israel, targeting Iran's nuclear and missile programs and posing a major threat to Tehran's leadership, said the report, quoting sources familiar with the matter. ■

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt gestures during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Feb. 18, 2026. The White House on Wednesday declined to set a deadline for the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, saying Tehran is expected to present more details on its negotiating position within weeks. (Photo by Li Yuanqing/Xinhua)

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Feb. 18, 2026. The White House on Wednesday declined to set a deadline for the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, saying Tehran is expected to present more details on its negotiating position within weeks. (Photo by Li Yuanqing/Xinhua)