President Donald Trump is weighing the possibility of dispatching an additional U.S. aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East as renewed negotiations with Iran get underway, underscoring that Washington is maintaining a credible military option alongside diplomacy.

Speaking with Axios in an interview on Tuesday, Trump said the potential move would be part of a wider pressure campaign against Tehran as talks resume following last year’s short but fierce conflict.

“Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time,” Trump told Axios.

Negotiators from the United States and Iran reconvened in Oman last Friday, marking their first direct discussions since the 12-day war in June. The talks are taking place even as the Trump administration continues to reinforce U.S. military assets across the region. Trump said he anticipates another round of discussions next week.

“We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going,” Trump said, noting that he is “thinking” about ordering a second carrier strike group to the area.

A U.S. official confirmed to Axios that internal conversations have already taken place regarding the possible deployment of another carrier.

At present, the United States has the USS Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying strike group stationed in the region, outfitted with fighter aircraft, Tomahawk cruise missiles, and support vessels. During much of the Gaza war, the U.S. maintained two carrier strike groups operating in the Middle East simultaneously.

Even with the heightened military posture, Trump suggested that negotiations have a real chance of succeeding, saying Iran “wants to make a deal very badly” and is engaging more seriously because of sustained U.S. pressure.

“Last time they didn’t believe I would do it,” Trump said, referencing U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June. “They overplayed their hand.”

“This time the talks are very different,” he added.

Iranian officials have publicly stated that the discussions should be limited to the nuclear file and have insisted that Tehran will not relinquish its ability to enrich uranium. That position has raised doubts among U.S. and Israeli critics who question whether a far-reaching agreement can be achieved.

Trump said it should be obvious that any deal must confront Iran’s nuclear program, adding that he sees room for talks to also address Tehran’s ballistic missile capabilities.

“We can make a great deal with Iran,” he said.

The renewed negotiations are unfolding as Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu prepares for a visit to Washington on Wednesday. Trump told Axios that Netanyahu “also wants a deal.”

“He wants a good deal,” Trump said.

Ahead of his trip, Netanyahu said he intends to convey Israel’s perspective on what he described as the “essential principles” guiding the negotiations.

At the same time, senior Iranian figure Ali Larijani has been holding meetings with regional intermediaries in Oman and Qatar. U.S. officials believe those discussions are designed to influence the shape and direction of the next phase of talks, according to Axios.