Amidst the deployment of a U.S. carrier strike group and an attack force to Middle Eastern waters and Iran's warning of retaliation for any attack, U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that he still believes Iran wants to talk.

Washington has not ruled out the possibility of further military intervention following the crackdown on Iranian protests that has resulted in thousands of deaths in recent days.

The U.S. Central Command announced that the strike group, led by the USS Abraham Lincoln, has arrived in Middle Eastern waters, but did not disclose its exact location.

President Trump has maintained an ambiguous stance on intervention since Iran initiated a comprehensive internet blackout along with the suppression of protests earlier this month. Those opposed to the current regime view U.S. intervention as the only path to change.

In an interview with Axios on Monday, President Trump said, "We have placed a tremendous number of ships in the area, far more than we have in Venezuela. But they want to negotiate. I know they do. They've been calling us. They want to talk."

According to Axios, President Trump declined to discuss the options presented by his national security team or his preferred course of action.

Analysts suggest various options, including strikes on Iranian military facilities or targeted attacks on the leadership of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as attempts to overthrow the regime that has ruled Iran since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Meanwhile, The New York Times reported that President Trump has received multiple U.S. intelligence reports indicating that the "position of the Iranian government is weakening," suggesting that the Iranian government's grip on power is at its "worst point" since the fall of the Shah.

Senator Lindsey Graham (Republican-South Carolina) recently discussed the Iran issue with President Trump, telling the newspaper that "the objective is to end the regime."

He added, "They may not kill them today, but if they are still in power next month, they will kill them again."

In related news, anti-American billboards, seemingly depicting the destruction of a U.S. aircraft carrier, have appeared in Tehran, AFP reported.

Human rights groups have described the current crackdown as the deadliest on protesters in Iran's history and warned that the approximately three-week internet blackout has made it difficult to ascertain the death toll, suggesting the blackout was intended to conceal the scale of the repression.

HRANA, a U.S.-based human rights activist news agency, stated that it has confirmed a total of 6,126 deaths, including 5,777 protesters, 86 minors, 214 security forces, and 49 bystanders.

However, the organization, which has an extensive information network within Iran and has been tracking the situation daily since the protests began, added that it is investigating the possibility of an additional 17,091 deaths.

At least 41,880 people are reportedly arrested.

HRANA stated, "Security agencies continue to pursue an approach focused on mass arrests, intimidation, and manipulation of public opinion."

Activists have accused authorities of raiding hospitals to find and arrest injured protesters. The Ministry of Health stated that everyone should be able to seek medical attention without worry and refrain from self-treatment.

Iran International, a Persian-language broadcaster based in Iran, reported citing press releases, documents, and sources that more than 36,500 Iranians died at the hands of Iranian security forces between January 8 and 9. The veracity of this report has not been confirmed.

NNP=Hong Seong-gu, Chief Reporter / Special Contribution to This Paper NNP info@newsandpost.com