Iranian gunboats unsuccessfully attempted to intercept a US oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday before a US Navy vessel intervened, reports say.

A defense official said the drone's intent was unclear. It was shot down after it "unnecessarily maneuvered" toward the carrier.

The U.S. Central Command said the drone approached the USS Abraham Lincoln with "unclear intent."

The U.S. military shot down an Iranian drone that approached a U.S. aircraft carrier on Tuesday.

DUBAI, Feb 4 - The U.S. and Iran are due to hold ‌talks ​in Oman on Friday after Tehran requested a change ‌of venue to limit negotiations to its nuclear programme, a regional official said, with a build-up of U.S. forces in the ​Middle East raising fears of a confrontation.

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.

President Donald Trump said Iran is negotiating “seriously" with the U.S. as he keeps military options on the table and American naval forces move into the region.

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