US President Donald Trump has said Iran has sought to reach a deal with Washington as the United States has deployed additional military assets to the Middle East, including an aircraft carrier strike group.
Speaking in an interview with Axios on Monday, Trump said the situation with Iran is "in flux," pointing to the arrival of what he described as a "big armada" near Iran.
"They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk," Trump said.
The United States has deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group to the Middle East as Washington bolsters its regional posture.
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier has entered the region "to promote regional security and stability," US Central Command said.
Iran was rocked by waves of protests last month, beginning on December 28 at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, amid the sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial and worsening economic conditions.
The demonstrations later spread to several other cities.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to "hit hard" if protesters were killed but later softened his rhetoric, suggesting that Tehran had cancelled hundreds of scheduled executions.
Iranian officials have accused the United States and Israel of backing what they described as "armed rioters" and have 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.
