U.S. President Trump [Reuters Yonhap News]

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that a large contingent of U.S. military forces is moving towards Iran, leaving open the possibility of military intervention if Iran continues its harsh crackdown on anti-government protesters.

Speaking to reporters on his plane returning to the U.S. on the 22nd (local time), President Trump said, "A lot of ships are going in that direction. We have a massive fleet going in that direction, and we'll see what happens."

He added, "I hope nothing happens, but we are watching them (Iran) very closely."

The United States is sending aircraft carriers and fighter jets to the Middle East.

President Trump has repeatedly stated his position that he would attack if the Iranian government kills anti-government protesters, but it is understood that he has not yet decided whether to take military action.

President Trump assessed that the Iranian government had canceled the execution of 837 protesters since his warning, calling it "a good sign."

When asked if he wanted the Iranian supreme leader to resign or go into exile, President Trump replied, "I don't want to get into that, but they know what we want."

Regarding the situation in Venezuela, President Trump praised interim President Delcy Rodríguez, an official of the Maduro regime, for showing "strong leadership."

He mentioned that he likes and spoke with María Corina Machado, the opposition leader against the Maduro regime, on this day, saying, "I get along well with both sides."

When asked when elections would be held in Venezuela, he replied that before that, Venezuela's oil industry needed to be developed so that the United States and Venezuela could "make a lot of money."

He reaffirmed his plan to visit China in April to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and said that President Xi would visit the United States towards the end of the year.

He stated that China is purchasing an enormous amount of U.S. soybeans as agreed with the United States, adding, "That makes our farmers happy, and then I'm happy."

When asked how the "framework of agreement" discussed with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg regarding Greenland, a territory of Denmark, differed from the access the United States already has, President Trump replied, "A much more generous agreement for the United States."