Iran flag

As tensions mount with Tehran, U.S. President Donald Trump has implied that he might dispatch a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East and take "very tough" action against Iran if current negotiations fail.

Trump's comments came in a Tuesday interview with Axios in which he said that Iran can either reach a diplomatic agreement or face intensified U.S. pressure that could include additional military force.

"We have an armada that is heading there, and another one might be going," Trump told the outlet. International Business Times has reached out to The White House for separate comment.

Currently, the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying warships are operating in the Arabian Sea as part of an existing U.S. naval presence. Trump's suggestion of a second carrier could increase pressure to influence talks with Iranian officials.

The U.S. and Iran have engaged in indirect diplomatic negotiations in Oman, with officials from both sides agreeing to continue discussions despite deep separations in their positions. Iran's delegation has emphasized that its nuclear program talks should remain focused strictly on that issue, rejecting broader U.S. demands related to ballistic missiles and regional proxy groups.

Washington and Tehran had initially agreed to hold talks on Friday in Istanbul that would include direct U.S.–Iran engagement alongside other Middle Eastern countries as observers. But on Tuesday, Iran reportedly sought to shift the meeting to Oman and conduct it in a bilateral format focused strictly on nuclear issues, rather than the broader agenda the U.S. had proposed, according to another report by Axios.

"Either we will make a deal, or we will have to do something very tough like last time," Trump said, alluding to U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities during the 12-day conflict last June before a temporary ceasefire was agreed.

Israeli support for a firm stance on Iran has also factored into U.S. policy calculations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to visit Washington this week, where Iran's missile and nuclear programs are expected to be high on the agenda. Trump insisted that Netanyahu "also wants a good deal," even as Israel advocates for stringent limits on Tehran's capabilities. He told Axios that Netanyahu "also wants a deal. He wants a good deal."

Reports of military confrontations, including the U.S. shooting down an Iranian drone near the USS Abraham Lincoln and encounters with armed Iranian boats in the Strait of Hormuz, reflect the fraught backdrop against which diplomacy is unfolding.

Iranian authorities have signaled they remain committed to negotiation but have repeatedly resisted key U.S. demands, particularly those that would significantly curtail their nuclear enrichment program or limit missile capabilities. Those differences have made the likelihood of a breakthrough uncertain, even as both sides agree to continue talks.

Originally published on IBTimes