A U.S. aircraft carrier the White House ordered to the Mideast over a perceived threat from Iran remains outside of the Persian Gulf amid efforts to de-escalate tensions between Tehran and Washington.

The USS Abraham Lincoln on Monday was in the Arabian Sea some 200 miles off the coast of Oman.

While U.S. Navy officials repeatedly declined to discuss why they hadn't gone through the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf, they insisted they remain ready to launch any mission in the region.

However, Capt. Putnam Browne, the commanding officer of the Lincoln, also told The Associated Press: "You don't want to inadvertently escalate something."

Tensions with Iran have worsened since President Donald Trump pulled America out of Iran's nuclear deal last year and imposed sanctions on Tehran.