CAIRO, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. side is ready to hold another round of talks with the Iranian side this Friday in Geneva if Tehran sends a "detailed" proposal for a nuclear deal "in the next 48 hours," U.S. news outlet Axios reported Sunday, citing an unnamed senior U.S. official.

The report came amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington, following a U.S. military buildup in the Middle East and two rounds of indirect nuclear talks this month, with the first in Muscat on Feb. 6 and the second in Geneva on Feb. 17. ■