Washington DC - President Donald Trump on Monday claimed Iran was willing to strike a "deal" with the US as the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln ominously moved into the Middle East.

The situation with Iran is "in flux," Trump told Axios, with a massive US fleet reportedly on the move.

"We have a big armada next to Iran. Bigger than Venezuela," he boasted, while insisting that diplomacy remained on the table.

"They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk."

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On Monday, the US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said that a fleet of warships including the USS Abraham Lincoln had arrived in its area of responsibility, which covers the Middle East and includes Iran, purportedly to "to promote regional security and stability."

Trump has refused to rule out attacking Iran following a violent crackdown on anti-government protests which, according to rights groups and witnesses, resulted in thousands of deaths.

Axios cited unnamed sources as saying that Trump hasn't made a final decision about a potential military escalation in the region, with security advisors set to present additional military options this week.

The USS Abraham Lincoln and accompanying warships give Trump additional offensive and defensive options should he decide to attack Iran, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The US has bombed at least seven countries since Trump began since second term, while also violently deposing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a coup.