TEHRAN – Tension in Middle East is reaching breaking point as USS Gerald R. Ford, a massive aircraft carrier capable of carrying more than 75 fighter jets, is steaming toward Iranian waters, joining a growing American military buildup.
US President Donald Trump warns that diplomacy is running out of time, and failure could bring “a very bad day for Tehran.” Behind scenes, American planners are readying a sustained campaign, one that could unfold over weeks, targeting not just nuclear facilities but key Iranian military and security sites.
As tensions continue unabated, USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier will soon leave Caribbean for Middle East. Trump warned that while he hopes negotiations will succeed, failure could bring trouble for Iran. He added provocatively that a change of government in Tehran would be “the best thing that could happen,” referencing decades of crackdowns on anti-government protests that left thousands dead.
The deployment is part of a massive US military buildup in the region, joining the Abraham Lincoln carrier, guided-missile destroyers, fighter jets, and surveillance aircraft already stationed nearby. Trump’s announcement followed meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who voiced optimism about a “good deal” but insisted that any agreement must curb Iran’s ballistic missile program—a demand Tehran has firmly rejected.
Netanyahu repeatedly called for more military action following Israel’s 12-day war against Iran in June, during which the U. briefly struck three Iranian nuclear sites in an operation dubbed “Midnight Hammer.”
The indirect US-Iran talks were the first since June and aim to revive negotiations on a replacement for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which Trump abandoned in 2018. Under the original deal, Iran limited its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Since the U.S. withdrawal, Iran has exceeded uranium enrichment limits but continues to deny any intent to develop nuclear weapons.
Why was Pakistan invited to US–Iran Talks, and what role will it play?
