A US military spokesman reported that an Iranian drone was downed after it made an aggressive approach towards a US aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday.

According to US Central Command spokesman Capt Tim Hawkins, an F-35C stealth fighter jet launched from the USS Abraham Lincoln warship intercepted and shot down the drone in a defensive measure to safeguard the carrier and its crew.

At the time of the incident, the USS Abraham Lincoln was roughly 500 miles offshore from Iran, where the drone had approached with unclear intentions.

The encounter resulted in no damage to US equipment or harm to service members.

This incident occurs amidst a significant US military buildup in the region, where tensions remain elevated between the US and Iran.

The US is considering military action against Iran if the country fails to reach a nuclear agreement, according to President Donald Trump.

This is not the first time Trump has suggested intervening in Iran, having previously mentioned the possibility during the government's suppression of protests in Tehran.

Following the destruction of an Iranian drone, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared on Fox News to confirm that US-Iran talks are still set to take place later in the week.

Leavitt stated that President Trump prioritizes diplomatic approaches, but also keeps all options available, including the potential use of military force.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader, has cautioned that an attack on Iran would lead to a broader conflict in the region.

The Iranian government has remained silent regarding the drone incident that occurred on Tuesday.

On the same day, the US military reported an incident in the Strait of Hormuz, where the IRGC allegedly "harassed" a US-operated merchant ship, which was flying the American flag and had a US crew, in a key waterway that handles a significant portion of global oil shipments.

According to Capt Hawkins, the intervention of military support helped to ease tensions, allowing the tanker to continue its journey without further incident.

Additionally, on Tuesday, Leavitt announced that Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy and the White House's most senior representative abroad, will participate in the upcoming talks.

Prior reports by US media outlets indicated that Witkoff was scheduled to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Istanbul on Friday, with the foreign ministers of several countries, including Egypt, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, also expected to attend.

According to Axios, a US news outlet, two sources have indicated that Iran proposed relocating the meeting to Oman, with attendance limited to Iranian and American officials.

The website, citing an Arab source, reported that the US had accepted this proposal. The BBC is seeking a response from the White House regarding this development.

In a statement earlier on Tuesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed Iran's willingness to engage in negotiations with the US, provided certain conditions are met.

As the planned talks approach, the US has been reminding Iran of the airstrikes it conducted against the country last year, which President Trump claimed had destroyed Iran's nuclear enrichment capabilities.

President Trump has warned that any future attack would have more severe consequences than the airstrikes launched in June of last year, during the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran.

During a brief period of direct conflict, the Israeli military launched attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, scientists, high-ranking military officials, and missile stockpiles.

In retaliation for the Israeli strikes, Iran unleashed a barrage of missiles and drones against Israel, and also targeted a major US military base in Qatar with a missile attack.

The Iranian government maintains that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes, and it denies any intentions to develop nuclear weaponry.

In a recent statement to the press at the White House, Trump asserted that Iranian officials are willing to negotiate a deal, but emphasized that any agreement must include a commitment to forgo nuclear development and an end to the violence against protesters.

According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a total of 6,424 protesters, 152 children, 214 government-affiliated individuals, and 58 non-participants have been confirmed killed, with the agency currently investigating an additional 11,280 reported fatalities.

According to Norway-based Iran Human Rights, the total number of fatalities may ultimately surpass 25,000.

Official Iranian sources have confirmed a minimum of 3,117 deaths, attributing most of these to security personnel or innocent bystanders allegedly killed by protesters.

Initially triggered by economic concerns, including the devaluation of the Iranian currency and rising living costs, the protests soon evolved to encompass calls for broader political reforms.

In a statement, Khamenei characterized the unrest as a deliberate act of "sedition" masterminded by the United States and Israel.