Iran wants a deal as US carrier moves to Mideast: Trump
President Donald Trump said Iran is interested in finding a diplomatic solution to tensions with the United States over the relocation of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to the Middle East.
Trump said in an interview with the Axios news portal that the situation with Iran is “changing” as the United States is sending a large fleet to the region.
“We have a big armada next to Iran. Bigger than Venezuela,” he told the portal, adding that diplomacy remained on the table.
“They want to make a deal. I know that. They’ve called many times. They want to talk,” he told Axios.
On Monday, the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said a fleet of warships, including the USS Abraham Lincoln, had arrived in its area of responsibility, which covers the Middle East and includes Iran.
CENTCOM said the carrier battle group is currently deployed to the Middle East “to support regional security and stability.”
The ship is currently in the Indian Ocean. No further details were given about his location.
Trump recently refused to rule out US military intervention in Iran following a violent crackdown on protests that resulted in thousands of deaths, according to rights groups and witnesses.
Axios quoted unnamed sources as saying Trump has not made a final decision on possible military tension in the region.
The portal reported that Trump may be presented with additional military options from his security advisers this week.
According to the Wall Street Journal, USS Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying warships offer Trump additional offensive and defensive options if he decides to attack Iran.
