Washington: US President Donald Trump said Thursday he remains hopeful that military force will not be required against Iran, indicating he intends to pursue further diplomatic talks with Tehran to secure a new nuclear agreement. "I built (up) the military in my first term, and now we have a group headed out to a place called Iran, and hopefully we won't have to use it," Trump said. The comments come as a massive US naval fleet, centred around the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, moves into position in the Middle East. When asked if he intended to engage in direct dialogue with the Iranian leadership, Trump confirmed that communications had already occurred. Tensions have remained acute following the June 2025 strikes on Iranian facilities and a recent deadly crackdown on domestic protesters in Iran.