Washington: US President Donald Trump said Thursday he remains hopeful that military force will not be required against Iran, indicating he intends to pursue further diplomatic talks with Tehran to secure a new nuclear agreement.

Speaking to reporters at the Kennedy Centre for the premiere of a documentary focused on first lady Melania Trump, the president noted that while his administration has significantly bolstered the US military, he would prefer to avoid a kinetic conflict.

"I built (up) the military in my first term, and now we have a group headed out to a place called Iran, and hopefully we won't have to use it," Trump said.

The comments come as a massive US naval fleet, centred around the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, moves into position in the Middle East. When asked if he intended to engage in direct dialogue with the Iranian leadership, Trump confirmed that communications had already occurred.

"I have had, and I am planning on it," Trump added. "Yes, we have a lot of very big, very powerful ships sailing to Iran right now, and it would be great if we didn't have to use them."

The president's remarks reflect a high-stakes balancing act between applying "maximum pressure" via the naval buildup and signalling a desire for an "off-ramp" through a potential "fair and equitable" deal that would prohibit Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Tensions have remained acute following the June 2025 strikes on Iranian facilities and a recent deadly crackdown on domestic protesters in Iran.

With inputs from AFP