New Delhi: US President Donald Trump has issued a fresh threat to Iran, warning that a “massive armada” is headed towards the West Asian country and that Tehran should “come to the table” to negotiate a nuclear deal.
In a post on Truth Social Wednesday, Trump said this is the same fleet that was sent to Venezuela, where the US last month carried out a military operation to capture President Nicolas Maduro.
Trump had earlier threatened possible military action against Iran after the government in Tehran launched a brutal crackdown against demonstrators protesting the economic situation in the country.
He repeated this threat Wednesday, saying unless Iran comes to the negotiating table, “the next attack will be far worse” than last year’s US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
“A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela. Like with Venezuela, it is, ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.
He added: “Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS – one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn’t, and there was ‘Operation Midnight Hammer,’ a major destruction of Iran.
“The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again.”
Hours after the post, the US said it would conduct military exercises in West Asia. According to a statement by Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees US military presence in the Middle East and West and Central Asia, USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group has already arrived in the region.
The exercise would allow airmen to prove “they can disperse, operate, and generate combat sorties under demanding conditions — safely, precisely and alongside our partners,” a statement from Lt Gen. Derek France, US Central Command’s AFCENT commander and Combined Forces Air Component commander said. The CENTCOM announcement did not specify the exact location or duration of the drills.
However, Trump is still considering his options on what, if any, action the US could take and there is no indication any decision has been made, CNN reported.
“We have a lot of ships going that direction, just in case. I’d rather not see anything happen, but we’re watching them very closely,” Trump said Friday.
Tensions between the United States and Iran have intensified in recent weeks amid Tehran’s violent crackdown in response to nationwide protests.
Trump had earlier warned Iran against continued killing of protesters and has repeatedly threatened US intervention if Tehran does not reverse course. Last week, however, he struck a more conciliatory note, saying Iran “wants to talk,” raising the possibility of a diplomatic opening.
Iran, meanwhile, has escalated its warnings, saying any attack by the US would be met with force and could destabilise the broader Middle East.
Tehran is “more than capable” of delivering a response that would make any aggressor regret its actions, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told reporters Monday. “The arrival of one or several warships does not impact Iran’s defensive determination,” he said. Adding, “Our armed forces are monitoring every development and are not wasting a single second to enhance their capabilities.”
Soon after, the US administration said that it remains open to talks with Iran, provided Tehran understands Washington’s conditions.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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