ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that Tehran is “seriously talking” to Washington, hoping that they will negotiate an acceptable deal with American warships stationed off Iran’s coast. 

Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene and respond to Iran’s deadly crackdown on protesters, and has expressed hope of reaching a deal despite heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington. 

“You could make a negotiated deal that would be satisfactory with no nuclear weapons… They should do that, but I don’t know that they will. They are talking to us - seriously talking,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.

“We do have very big, powerful ships heading in that direction,” he warned, adding, “I hope they negotiate something that’s acceptable.”

While Iran remains under heavy international sanctions and pressure over its nuclear program, it has repeatedly said that its ballistic missile program is “not subject to negotiation,” insisting on its right to defend the country, as well as its right to pursue the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

On the other hand, Iranian authorities have delivered a heavy-handed response to nationwide protests, killing, injuring, and arresting tens of thousands of demonstrators, according to reports from human rights watchdogs. 

The US has repeatedly threatened to intervene militarily if Iran continues killing protesters.

The US Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, and its accompanying strike group have gathered in the Middle East amid the tensions.

However, both Tehran and Washington have expressed a degree of willingness to enter new negotiations.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday held a phone call with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi where the pair stressed the need for dialogue and de-escalation.

“For the Islamic Republic of Iran, resolving issues through diplomacy has always been prioritized over war. We hope the other side has understood that Iran cannot be compelled to negotiate through force and threats,” Pezeshkian said during the call.

“Obviously, any aggression or attack on the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran will be met with a decisive and powerful response; nevertheless, Iran continues to pursue the resolution of issues through diplomacy,” he added.