Trump Says Iran 'Talking To Us' As U.S. Fleet Deploys

President Donald Trump said in a Fox News interview that "Iran is talking to us" and he declined to disclose U.S. military plans as a carrier strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln heads toward the region.

The remarks come after Iranian authorities' deadly crackdown on anti-government protests and follow warnings from Tehran that it would respond to attacks, according to statements from Iran's presidency and military officials.

A senior Gulf official told Fox News that Saudi Arabia and other partners were not briefed on U.S. plans and that Riyadh would not permit U.S. use of its airspace for an attack, reflecting uncertainty among allies.

U.S. Central Command said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps will conduct a two-day live-fire naval exercise in the Strait of Hormuz, and Washington has deployed a carrier strike group to the region, officials confirmed.

Trump said he has not decided on strikes and left talks as an option, while analysts warned Gulf states could face Iranian retaliation if the U.S. strikes and some regional leaders urged restraint, analysts and diplomats said.