Washington [US], January 28: President Donald Trump on Monday said that Iran is interested in a diplomatic solution to the tensions with the United States, as the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln moved into the Middle East.
The situation with Iran is "in flux" because the US has sent a large fleet to the region, Trump said in an interview with the news portal Axios.
"We have a big armada next to Iran. Bigger than Venezuela," the Republican told the portal, adding that diplomacy remained on the table.
"They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk," he told Axios.
On Monday, the US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said that a fleet of warships, including the USS Abraham Lincoln, had arrived in its area of responsibility, which covers the Middle East and includes Iran.
The aircraft carrier battle group is currently deployed in the Middle East "to promote regional security and stability," CENTCOM said. The ship is currently in the Indian Ocean. No further details on its position were provided.
Trump recently refused to rule out military intervention by the US in Iran following a violent crackdown on protests, which, according to rights groups and witnesses, resulted in thousands of deaths.
Axios cited unnamed sources as saying that Trump hasn't made a final decision about a potential military escalation in the region.
The portal reported that Trump may be presented with additional military options from his security advisers this week.
The USS Abraham Lincoln and accompanying warships give Trump additional offensive and defensive options should he decide to attack Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Meanwhile, the US Air Force will be conducting a "multi-day readiness exercise" to demonstrate its ability to "deploy, disperse, and sustain combat airpower" across the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility, the command said in a statement.
CENTCOM's area of responsibility spans 21 countries, from Northeast Africa, to the Middle East, to Central and South Asia, according to its website.
During the training event, US forces will deploy teams to multiple locations with the approval of host nations, and in "close coordination with civil and military aviation authorities", CENTCOM said.
The Air Force says this activity "reinforces peace through strength".
Source: Qatar Tribune
