The White House has warned Iran would be "very wise" to make a deal with the US, amid reports that President Donald Trump is weighing fresh military action against the Islamic Republic.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt told a news briefing that Trump was still hoping for a diplomatic resolution over Tehran's nuclear programme.
Her comments come as the US moves a second battleship into the region, and one day after progress was reported at US-Iran talks in Switzerland.
US media reported on Wednesday that Trump had discussed attack options with advisers, and that a US strike could take place as early as Saturday. Last summer the US military conducted strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities.
The BBC's US partner CBS reports that top national security officials had told Trump the military was ready for potential strikes on Iran as soon as Saturday.
