The United States warned on Saturday that it was "more than capable" of resuming military action against Iran, even as efforts continued to secure a peace agreement between the two countries.
The warning came after President Donald Trump said any deal with Tehran must meet key US conditions, including a guarantee that Iran will never develop nuclear weapons.
The White House had indicated that Trump was close to deciding on a proposed agreement, but Iran maintained that no final deal had been reached. US sources said the agreement was awaiting Trump's approval, though no decision was announced following a White House Situation Room meeting on Friday.
Speaking at a defence summit in Singapore, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Washington remained prepared to restart the conflict if necessary. US Central Command also stated that American forces remain deployed and vigilant across the region.
Efforts to reach an agreement have faced fresh challenges following US strikes on Iran's Bandar Abbas port and subsequent Iranian retaliatory attacks.
Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported that the country's air defences had shot down a drone it described as belonging to the "US-Zionist aggressor enemy."
Despite the tensions, diplomatic efforts continued. Trump said his priorities include preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route.
A White House official said Trump would only approve a deal that serves US interests and ensures Iran cannot possess a nuclear weapon.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei rejected what he described as US demands, saying Iran had "said goodbye to the language of 'must' 47 years ago." He added that exchanges between the two sides were continuing, but no final agreement had been reached.
Conflicting claims also emerged over the contents of the proposed deal. Trump said Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz without tolls and that both countries would cooperate on removing Iran's enriched uranium. Iranian media reports disputed those claims, saying such provisions were not included in the draft agreement.
Meanwhile, fighting continued on the Lebanese front.
Israel issued evacuation warnings for residents of several villages in southern Lebanon, while Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called for efforts to secure a ceasefire during a conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold another round of direct talks next week as regional tensions remain high.