Iran Signals Progress In US Talks As American Naval Buildup Intensifies

Amid rising tensions, Iran has confirmed progress toward talks with the US, even as Washington deploys the USS Abraham Lincoln to the region and President Trump urges Tehran to negotiate a fair nuclear deal.

Amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran and a growing US military presence in the region, a senior Iranian official on Saturday (local time) said that preparations for negotiations with the US are moving forward, dismissing what he described as media-driven hype.
Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, in a post on X, said that despite speculation and reports of military escalation, the groundwork for talks is advancing.
"Contrary to the hype of the contrived media war, structural arrangements for negotiations are progressing," Larijani said in his post.
However, the Secretary did not mention any details on the framework of the matter.
His remarks come at a time when regional tensions remain elevated between the two sides, with US President Donald Trump stating that "a massive Armada is heading to Iran" on January 28, led by the USS Abraham Lincoln. 
In a post on Truth Social, Trump issued a stern warning to Tehran over stalled nuclear talks, saying any future strike would be "far worse".
He stated that the US naval deployment was larger than the previous fleet sent to Venezuela, describing its advance as marked by "great power, enthusiasm, and purpose".
"A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela. Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary. Hopefully Iran will quickly "Come to the Table" and negotiate a fair and equitable deal - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS - one that is good for all parties," Trump stated in his post.
Earlier on Friday, the US President indicated that Iran was prepared to enter negotiations to avert potential American military action, even as Tehran maintained that talks cannot proceed under pressure.
"They do want to make a deal," Trump stated, addressing reporters at the White House.
He also disclosed that a deadline had been set for Iran to begin discussions, though he did not specify the timeframe.
"Hopefully, we'll make a deal. If we don't make a deal, we'll see what happens," Trump added, referencing the deployment of a US naval carrier group near Iran.
Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi outlined Tehran's position, indicating that Iran remains open to dialogue with Washington provided discussions are conducted on fair terms, while firmly ruling out any compromise on the country's defence capabilities.
Araghchi said Iran was "ready to begin negotiations if they take place on an equal footing, based on mutual interests and mutual respect," but stressed, "I want to state firmly that Iran's defensive and missile capabilities will never be subject to negotiation." (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)