A United States naval strike force led by an aircraft carrier has entered Middle Eastern waters, as Iran warned it would retaliate against any attack and President Donald Trump said he believed Tehran was still seeking talks.
US Central Command confirmed that a strike group headed by the USS Abraham Lincoln had arrived in the region, without disclosing its exact location. The deployment comes amid rising tensions following Iran’s violent crackdown on recent protests.
Washington has not ruled out fresh military action against Tehran over the unrest, which Iranian media say left more than 3,000 people dead within days. Since the protests began earlier this month, accompanied by a near-total internet blackout, Trump has sent mixed signals about possible intervention.
“We have a big armada next to Iran. Bigger than Venezuela,” Trump told Axios, referring to recent US military action that led to the capture of Venezuela’s president. He added, however, that Iran was still reaching out. “They want to make a deal. I know so. They called on numerous occasions. They want to talk.”
Trump declined to comment on specific military options discussed with his national security team. Analysts say potential scenarios range from strikes on Iranian military facilities to targeted attacks on senior leadership under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with the aim of dismantling the system in place since the 1979 revolution.
US media have reported that Trump has received intelligence assessments suggesting Iran’s leadership is under unprecedented strain. The New York Times said reports indicate the government’s grip on power is at its weakest since the fall of the shah. Senator Lindsey Graham was quoted as saying that the objective was to end the current regime, warning that any pause in violence would only be temporary if the leadership remained in power.
Iranian officials have issued sharp warnings in response to the US deployment. Revolutionary Guards spokesman Mohammad Ali Naini said the aircraft carrier would be targeted if it entered Iranian territorial waters. Conservative media outlets have claimed Iran is prepared for a major response, including the possible closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global energy supplies. An anti-US billboard depicting the destruction of an American carrier has also appeared in Tehran.
Despite the hostile rhetoric, Iranian authorities have previously acknowledged the existence of a communication channel between Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and a US envoy, even in the absence of formal diplomatic relations.
Human rights groups say the ongoing crackdown represents the deadliest response to protests in Iran’s recent history. Rights monitors argue that the near three-week internet blackout has made it difficult to verify casualty figures and is intended to conceal the scale of repression.
Iran’s foundation for veterans and martyrs has put the death toll at 3,117, while the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reports thousands of arrests. Activists allege that security forces have raided hospitals to detain injured protesters, accusations the health ministry has denied, urging citizens to seek medical care without fear.
