Iran is seeking a nuclear agreement with the United States that would generate economic benefits for both countries, an Iranian diplomat said Sunday, ahead of a new round of negotiations between Tehran and Washington.

Iran and the U.S. ⁠renewed negotiations earlier this month to tackle their decades-long dispute over Tehran's nuclear programme and avert a new military confrontation.

The U.S. has dispatched a second aircraft carrier to the region and is preparing for the possibility of a sustained military campaign if the talks do not succeed, U.S. officials have told Reuters.

U.S. ⁠Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking at a news conference in Bratislava, said President Donald Trump had made it clear that he would prefer diplomacy and a negotiated settlement, while making clear that may not happen.

"No one's ever been able to do a successful deal with Iran but we're going to try," Rubio said.