Washington: President Donald Trump confirmed that the United States is in negotiations with Iran, while the U.S. military stated that it shot down an Iranian drone that was approaching a U.S. aircraft carrier.

According to Thai News Agency, President Trump told reporters at the White House that the U.S. is negotiating with Iran, though he provided no specific details about the discussions. Reports have indicated that U.S. Special Representative Steve Whitkoff is scheduled to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday. Iran has proposed that the talks be held in Oman, rather than Turkey as initially planned, a suggestion that the U.S. has agreed to.

Moreover, Iran has insisted that the negotiations remain bilateral and focus solely on the nuclear issue, excluding missile issues and other regional conflicts that the US has previously attempted to address. President Trump reiterated a warning that negative consequences could ensue if the negotiations collapse, highlighting the presence of a large US naval force in the region as a means of applying pressure on Iran.

Meanwhile, a US military spokesman reported that an F-35 stealth fighter jet launched from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, positioned off the coast of Iran, to intercept an approaching Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or drone. The motive of the drone's approach was unclear. The action was taken in self-defense to safeguard the aircraft carrier and its crew. There were no injuries or damage reported as a result of the incident. Iran has not yet issued a response.