WASHINGTON/CAIRO - US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he prefers to solve the Iran confrontation through diplomacy.

"We are in negotiations with them. They want to make a deal, but we haven't heard those secret words, 'We will never have a nuclear weapon,'" Trump said when delivering the first State of the Union address of his second term to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington, DC.

"My preference is to solve this problem through diplomacy," Trump said. "But one thing is certain -- I will never allow ... Iran to have a nuclear weapon."

Meanwhile, the president accused Iran of "again pursuing their sinister ambitions," saying Iran's missile program could threaten US troops deployed in the region and eventually the United States.

"They've already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas, and they're working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America," Trump said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Teheran would "under no circumstances ever develop a nuclear weapon," reiterating longstanding government positions, according to media reports reaching here.

Iran is determined to reach a "fair and equitable" deal with the United States as soon as possible, Araghchi said in a social media post.

The two sides have a "historic opportunity" to strike an unprecedented agreement that addresses mutual concerns and achieves common interests, Araghchi said, adding that a deal was "within reach, but only if diplomacy is given priority."

Also on Tuesday, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Majid Takht Ravanchi said Iran is ready to do "whatever necessary" to reach a nuclear agreement with the United States.

"We want to do whatever necessary to make it (an agreement) happen. We will enter the negotiating room in Geneva with all sincerity and goodwill," Ravanchi said in an interview with NPR radio.

"We hope that our goodwill and good approach would be reciprocated by the Americans, and if there is a political will on all sides, I believe that the deal can be reached as soon as possible," he added.

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Meanwhile, during a meeting in Teheran with Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan on Tuesday, Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh reiterated his country's firm resolve to defend itself.

He said Iran does not seek war, "but if a war is imposed on the country, it will defend itself strongly and give an unforgettable lesson to enemies."

The remarks followed a drill held by Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) along the Iran's southern coast, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Tuesday.

READ MORE: Iran, US to resume talks amid hardening military posture, ongoing divisions

Iranian forces practiced the scenario of "strongly defending" the country's coasts and islands, and the IRGC Ground Forces' special forces carrying out operations to prevent the enemy from approaching Iran's southern coasts.

The exercise took place amid continued US military buildup in the Middle East and media reports that Trump was considering launching an initial attack on Iran.

Israel media reported Tuesday that eleven US F-22 stealth fighter jets have landed at an Israeli airbase in southern Israel, as part of Washington's regional military reinforcement against Iran.

The world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, which is en route to the Middle East, has arrived in the Mediterranean Sea. It will join the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and other guided-missile destroyers already deployed near Iran.

Trump on Monday refuted media reports that Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned against attacking Iran.

In a social media post, Trump said that if a decision is made on conducting military operations against Iran, "it is his (Caine's) opinion that it will be something easily won."  

READ MORE: Iran signals hard stance as ‘extremist’ US remarks draw condemnation

A new round of US-Iran talks is now scheduled for Thursday in Geneva and expected to focus on Iran's nuclear program, including uranium enrichment levels and sanctions relief.

However, the previous two rounds of indirect talks made little visible progress. Many analysts say the upcoming one is likely the last diplomatic opportunity before a US-Israeli large-scale joint military operation that could directly target Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

The US administration has been deploying massive military forces in the Middle East. Trump warned on Monday that he would rather reach a deal with Iran, but if one is not reached, "it will be a very bad day" for the country, referring to a potential US strike. 

Egyptian, Russian foreign ministers discuss US-Iran tensions

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held a phone call on Tuesday with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov to discuss regional developments, particularly the situation in Iran.

Abdelatty emphasized the importance of de-escalation and containing the rising tensions in the region, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

He reviewed Cairo's efforts to create an atmosphere conducive to resuming negotiations between the United States and Iran, highlighting the push toward a consensual peaceful settlement, which could spare the region from further escalation and congestion.