Trump Announces Second Aircraft Carrier Deployment to Middle East Amid Iran Tensions
By Sabeeh Zanair :
President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the United States will deploy a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East as tensions rise over Iran’s nuclear and missile programs. Speaking from the White House, Trump confirmed that the USS Gerald R. Ford will soon depart from the Caribbean to join other U.S. forces in the region.
Trump emphasized that the buildup, which includes the USS Abraham Lincoln and several destroyers, was intended to provide leverage in ongoing indirect talks between the U.S. and Iran in Oman last week. He suggested that a successful negotiation could avert conflict but warned that failure would be “a bad day for Iran.”
Trump also commented on the ongoing crisis in Iran, suggesting that a change in government would be ideal. This announcement follows a series of escalations, including a previous U.S. military strike on Iranian nuclear sites during the brief war between Israel and Iran last June.
The U.S. move comes amid stalled efforts to restore the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, which Iran had previously agreed to in exchange for sanctions relief. The U.S. withdrawal from the deal in 2018 led Iran to increase uranium enrichment beyond agreed limits.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi said his inspectors returned to Iran but have faced difficulty accessing sites targeted during the June conflict. Grossi noted that dialogue remains fragile but ongoing.
The Gerald R. Ford, a nuclear-powered carrier capable of deploying more than 75 aircraft, could play a key role in any U.S. response. Gulf nations have cautioned that any escalation risks drawing the entire region into deeper conflict.
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