Trump says Iran “wants to make a deal”: Axios

• US President Donald Trump Trump confirmed that a massive naval force, including the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group, arrived in the region on Monday.
• Despite the military surge, Trump expressed belief that Tehran is "eager to make a deal," though he maintains strict "red line" conditions including the total removal of enriched uranium and a cessation of support for regional proxies, terms Iran has yet to accept.

In a recent interview with Axios, US President Donald Trump indicated that tensions with Iran remain fluid, citing the deployment of a substantial US naval force to the region while expressing belief that Tehran is eager to negotiate a deal.

This comes as the White House weighs potential military strikes following the Iranian leadership's reported crackdown on widespread protests that resulted in thousands of deaths, according to NGOs.

Earlier this month, Trump reportedly came close to authorizing strikes on Iranian targets in response to the violent suppression of demonstrators.

However, he opted to hold off, allowing time for additional military assets to arrive, including the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group, which entered the US Central Command's area of responsibility on Monday.

"We have a big armada next to Iran. Bigger than Venezuela," Trump told Axios.

He added that diplomacy is still viable, stating, "They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk."

Senior administration officials echoed this sentiment in a briefing, affirming that the US is "open for business" on negotiations if Iran meets predefined conditions.

These include the removal of all enriched uranium from the country, limits on long-range missiles, cessation of support for regional proxies, and a prohibition on independent uranium enrichment.

While Iran has expressed willingness to engage in talks, it has not indicated acceptance of these terms.

The backdrop to these developments is the ongoing fallout from Iran's brutal response to protests, which have now been largely quelled.

Trump had previously vowed to support the protesters and hold the Iranian government accountable, drawing a "red line" that some hawkish advisors are pushing him to enforce through action.

Others in his circle see the Iranian leadership's vulnerabilities as an opportunity to leverage a favorable deal rather than risk escalation.

This situation echoes events from last June's 12-day war, during which Trump claimed his decision to green-light ‘Israeli’ preemptive strikes prevented a potential Iranian nuclear threat.

"They would have attacked...but that first day was brutal for them. They lost their leaders and many of their missiles," he recounted.

Intelligence assessments at the time suggested Iran could have enriched enough uranium for a weapon in weeks and built a device in months, though US and ‘Israeli’ strikes severely damaged its nuclear infrastructure.

As the US military prepares for possible orders, reinforcements including F-15 and F-35 jets, refueling tankers, and air defense systems have been dispatched to the region.

White House sources indicate Trump has not yet finalized his approach and plans further consultations this week, with enhanced military options on the table.