The U.S. military has deployed dozens of aircraft and assembled about 12 warships near Iran in the last month, setting the stage for possible strikes.

Even with US forces poised to strike Iran, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told CNN that he was “confident that we can achieve a deal” on Tehran’s nuclear program.

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

Tensions have continued to rise between the two nations after the Iranian regime’s brutal crackdown on nationwide protests left thousands dead.

The US military accused Iran of "unnecessary aggression" after shooting down an Iranian drone near the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea and IRGC vessels approached a US-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz ahead of US-Iran talks later this week.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, again has become a focus of tensions as Iran prepares to launch a military drill that could see fire into a lane crucial for global shipping.

Iran vowed Thursday to conduct live-fire military drills in one of the world’s most vital sea passages — which sees 20% of the globe’s oil transports — next week, just two