The carrier, accompanied by missile-equipped destroyers and at least one submarine, is expected to arrive within a week.
Its deployment is seen as part of a broader effort to expand military options in the region.
US broadcaster Fox News reported that "at least one" US carrier is en route to the Middle East, though it remains unclear whether it is the Abraham Lincoln or one of two other carriers recently deployed from bases in Norfolk and San Diego.
The move comes as Iran faces mounting domestic unrest and a deepening economic crisis.
Protests have spread across the country since December, and humanitarian organizations estimate over 2,600 people may have been killed.
President Donald Trump has publicly encouraged Iranian protesters to "keep going" and hinted that “help is on the way,” fueling speculation about possible US intervention.
According to The New York Times, Trump is weighing targeted strikes on ballistic missile sites or internal security infrastructure, but has not made a final decision.
The Wall Street Journal earlier reported that Trump hesitated to authorize military action due to doubts about its effectiveness in toppling the Iranian regime.
US troop levels in the region were reduced last year to support operations in the Caribbean.
On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said "all options are on the table" and warned that Iran’s leadership would “pay a heavy price” if it continued to suppress demonstrators.
Leavitt also said that under US pressure, Iranian authorities had called off planned executions of 800 protesters.
(jh/gs)
Source: Polish Radio, PAP