US President Donald Trump said Monday that Iran wants to reach a deal with Washington amid the deployment of additional American military assets to the region, including an aircraft carrier strike group.
In an interview with the Axios news site, Trump said the situation with Iran is "in flux," citing the arrival of what he described as a "big armada" near Iran, referring to the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group to the region.
"They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk," he added.
The US deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group to the Middle East on Monday as Washington bolsters its regional posture. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier entered the region "to promote regional security and stability," the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on the US social media company X's platform.
Iran has been rocked by waves of protests since last month, starting on Dec. 28 at Tehran's Grand Bazaar, over the sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial and worsening economic conditions. Demonstrations later spread to several other cities.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to "hit hard" if protesters were killed but later softened his rhetoric, suggesting Tehran canceled hundreds of scheduled executions.
Iranian officials have accused the US and Israel of backing "armed rioters" and warned that any US attack would draw a "swift and comprehensive" response.
Last June, Israel, with US backing, launched a 12-day war against Iran, prompting retaliatory drone and missile attacks from Tehran before Washington announced a ceasefire.
