The Trump administration is seriously considering an Iranian proposal for indirect nuclear talks mediated by Oman, while simultaneously increasing US military presence in the Middle East, Axios reported on April 2.

US President Donald Trump has received Iran's formal response to his letter sent to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei three weeks ago, according to an unnamed US official, Axios said. While Trump proposed direct negotiations, Iran has only agreed to indirect talks.

"After the exchange of letters we are now exploring next steps in order to begin conversations and trust-building with the Iranians," one US official told Axios.

The White House remains divided between officials who believe a deal is achievable and those who view talks as futile and advocate military strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities.

Trump has publicly stated he prefers reaching a deal but warned that "there will be bombing" if negotiations fail. The president previously set a two-month deadline for reaching an agreement, though it remains unclear when this timeline began.

Tensions escalated after Trump's bombing threat on Sunday, with Khamenei responding that while he does not believe the US would attack Iran, "they will certainly receive a heavy blow in return" if they do so.

Iran lodged a formal diplomatic protest through the Swiss embassy, warning it would "respond decisively and immediately to any threat."

The Pentagon announced on April 2 that it was deploying additional troops and air assets to the region while maintaining two aircraft carriers – the Harry Truman and Carl Vinson – in the area. Several B-2 stealth bombers capable of carrying bunker-busting bombs were sent to Diego Garcia military base last week.

"Should Iran or its proxies threaten American personnel and interests in the region, the US will take decisive action to defend our people," Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said.

Iran has significantly increased its uranium enrichment since Trump abandoned the 2015 nuclear deal and is now considered a nuclear threshold state, though Tehran maintains it does not seek to develop nuclear weapons.

A US official said Trump does not want war with Iran but needs military assets both to establish deterrence during negotiations and to be prepared if talks fail and the situation escalates.

Earlier on April 1, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Alexeyevich Ryabkov said that Moscow would act as a mediator between Washington and Tehran.

"Russia is ready to offer its good services here to Washington, Tehran and everyone who is interested in this," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated in an interview with the publication.

The senior diplomat warned that potential American military action could have "catastrophic" consequences for the entire Middle East region.

The offer comes amid ongoing tensions surrounding Iran's nuclear activities and broader geopolitical friction between Washington and Tehran. Trump reportedly claimed in a recent interview with NBC News that "if Iran doesn't agree, it will be bombed; bombed in a way they have never seen before."