Trump said Iran wants a deal to avoid U.S. military action as American forces move closer to Iranian waters. Tehran says it is open to talks but will not negotiate its missile programme.
New Delhi, January 31, 2026: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that Iran prefers to strike a deal rather than face possible American military action, even as Tehran warned that its missile arsenal would never be part of any negotiations.
Trump has cautioned Iran to return to talks on its nuclear programme or risk much tougher U.S. measures. He also warned of potential military action if protesters were killed during anti-government demonstrations that began in late December and peaked on January 8 and 9. Trump further said that a U.S. “armada” larger than the one sent toward Venezuela is moving in the direction of Iran.
The U.S. naval force, as described by Trump, continues to position itself near Iranian waters and is led by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. A U.S. Navy destroyer has docked at Israel’s port of Eilat, according to the military, as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to rise. The deployment comes even as Trump indicated openness to talks with Iran while the United States sent additional military assets to West Asia.
In response, Iranian officials have said they are prepared to defend the country as the United States maintains its threat of military action. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Friday that Tehran is ready to resume “fair and equitable” negotiations with Washington, while stressing that Iran’s missile programme is not open for discussion.
Earlier in the day, Araqchi met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Istanbul, where they discussed the growing tensions amid ongoing U.S. threats and the military build-up in the region. However, Araqchi said that no meetings have yet been scheduled between Tehran and Washington to resolve the decades-old nuclear dispute. (Source: PB Shabd)
