US Prepares Another Aircraft Carrier for Middle East Deployment Operation

US President Donald Trump has shared a Wall Street Journal article on his Truth Social platform indicating that the Pentagon is preparing an aircraft carrier strike group for deployment to the Middle East. According to US officials, the military ordered the preparation of this strike group to join the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is already stationed in the region.

The announcement comes hours after Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. During their meeting, Trump reaffirmed his preference for diplomatic efforts with Iran, stating that negotiations should continue to explore the possibility of a deal. However, he also emphasized that if no agreement can be reached, the US will assess the outcome.

Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani has warned Washington against allowing Netanyahu to interfere with ongoing diplomatic talks between the two countries. Larijani stated that Iran is exclusively engaged in negotiations with the US and not with Israel.

Trump denied claims that Netanyahu was lobbying him against talks with Iran, stating that he will continue to engage with Iranian officials as long as he likes. The US president has expressed his desire for an agreement that would ensure Iran has “no nuclear weapons” and “no missiles”. However, Iran has ruled out concessions on its missile program.

The US and Iran have held indirect talks since last year, with both sides committed to continuing diplomatic efforts. However, no further talks have been scheduled publicly yet. The situation remains tense, with the US president warning of renewed strikes against Iran if negotiations fail.

Source: Al Jazeera