Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday ruled out Tehran ever giving up uranium enrichment in its negotiations with Washington, insisting it will not be intimidated by the threat of war with the United States.

The White House says talks between special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian officials are still planned after a Navy fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that was approaching a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea.

Senior U.S. and Iranian officials were set to meet in Oman as a deepening crisis over Tehran's nuclear program fueled fears of military confrontation.

US Central Command showed off the workings of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln on Thursday as tensions with Iran continue to escalate. Time-lapse video aboard the nuclear-powered warship shows scores of sailors and CENTCOM personnel launching American jets from the Lincoln,

Iranian gunboats unsuccessfully attempted to intercept a US oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday before a US Navy vessel intervened, reports say.

Washington appeared to ramp up pressure on Tehran on February 7 as its leading negotiators visited the US aircraft carrier that heads a powerful American strike force off the waters of Iran, even as indirect nuclear talks between the adversaries proceeded.

U.S. Central Command warned Iran it will not tolerate "any unsafe and unprofessional behavior" near American forces ahead of live-fire naval drills.

The U.S. military has bolstered its presence across the Middle East amid escalating tensions with Iran, as nuclear talks were thrown into uncertainty Wednesday before being moved to Oman. U.S. and Iranian officials had been expected to meet Friday in Istanbul, with several Middle Eastern countries participating as observers.

On April 18, 1988, the U.S. Navy destroyed two Iranian oil platforms, sunk one frigate and a missile boat, crippled a second frigate, destroyed at least three armed speedboats, and drove off Iranian F-4 Phantom jets with missile fire.