US President Donald Trump has said that he is planning to hold talks with Iran, even as the Pentagon has presented him with an expanded list of military options aimed at the country’s “nuclear and missile” facilities.
"I have had [conversations with Iran in the last few days], and I am planning on it," Trump told reporters at the Kennedy Center on Thursday.
He reiterated that "a lot of very big, very powerful" ships are currently sailing toward Iran, adding: "It would be great if we didn't have to use them".
When asked about his message to Tehran, Trump has said: "I told them two things: number one, no nuclear, and number two, stop killing protesters".
Military options
The new military plans go beyond those considered weeks ago during widespread anti-government protests in Iran.
Options may include potential raids on sites inside Iran and strikes aimed at weakening the 86-year-old supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, according to New York Times.
Trump has also expressed a desire to address Iranian efforts to assassinate him, following claims by federal prosecutors last year regarding a plot prior to his re-election.
The US demands include a permanent end to all uranium enrichment and the surrender of nuclear stockpiles, including more than 435 kilograms of uranium enriched to near-bomb-grade levels.
Trump has warned Iran on social media that the military is ready to act "with speed and violence, if necessary".
The military build-up continues, with the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln and stealthy F-35 fighter jets positioned in the Arabian Sea.
The Pentagon has also dispatched additional air defences to the region to protect US troops from retaliatory strikes.
While Trump remains open to a diplomatic deal, he has cautioned that "time is running out".
