WASHINGTON 

Iran does not want the US to attack the country, President Donald Trump said Thursday.

"They don't want us to hit them,” Trump said at the 74th annual national prayer breakfast.

"They're negotiating," he added.

On the US military buildup in the region, he said: “You know, we have a big fleet going over to Iran.”

Trump's remarks came ahead of indirect nuclear talks set to be held between Iran and the US in Oman's capital Muscat on Friday.