President Trump has confirmed Iran is in serious discussions with the US following the steady build-up of American military forces in the Gulf.
The US president said he hoped negotiations with Iran would lead to something acceptable, as tensions between the two countries remain high. Iran's top security official Ali Larijani also said a framework for negotiations was progressing.
Trump has threatened to intervene in Iran over its nuclear ambitions and after its deadly crackdown on anti-government protests. Iran has stated it would respond immediately and powerfully to any aggression by land or sea.
Iran is expected to begin a two-day, live-fire naval exercise on Sunday in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route for global energy supplies, through which a fifth of the world's oil passes. The US has warned Iran against any unsafe and unprofessional behaviour near its forces in the area.
In light of the US military's presence, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticized the US for attempting to dictate how Iranian forces should conduct exercises on their own territory.
Meanwhile, escalating unrest in Iran, highlighted by two recent explosions causing deaths, has compounded the nation’s tensions, leading to a call for greater caution from both sides as they navigate this complex situation.
