The U.S. Navy is conducting its largest war games in the Persian Gulf since the 2003 invasion of Iraq at a time of increasing tensions with Iran.
Navy officials say the demonstration involves thousands of personnel and two aircraft carriers. They say the war games demonstrate the U.S. military's ability to conduct operations as part of its commitment to maintaining security and stability in the region.
The war games are taking place days after the United Nations Security Council imposed more sanctions on Iran for its nuclear program and Iran seized 15 British Navy personnel it said entered Iranian waters illegally.
European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana spoke to Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, by telephone Monday. Solana says they agreed to continue talks on Iran's nuclear program.
The U.N. Security Council on Saturday voted to impose new sanctions on Iran for refusing to stop enriching uranium.
The new sanctions ban all Iranian arms exports and freeze the assets abroad of 28 Iranian people and institutions believed to have ties to Tehran's nuclear program.
The new sanctions also set a 60-day deadline for Iran to halt uranium enrichment, a process that can be used to make nuclear weapons. Failure to comply could result in more sanctions.
The United States and its allies accuse Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran denies the charge.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
