US President Donald Trump has said that an American naval “armada” is heading toward Iran, while expressing hope that the show of force will not have to be used. At the same time, he issued fresh warnings to Tehran over the execution of protesters and the possible resumption of its nuclear program, Reuters reported.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while returning to the United States from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump said, “A lot of our ships are heading in that direction (toward Iran). I don’t want to see anything unpleasant happen, but we are watching them very closely.”
He added, “We are sending an armada there. Hopefully, we won’t have to use it.”
US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and several guided-missile destroyers are expected to arrive in the Middle East within the next few days. Washington is also planning to deploy additional air-defence systems at US bases in the region to counter potential Iranian attacks.
The latest military deployment comes amid heightened tensions following US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June and is aimed at protecting American forces while keeping the option of further military action open if required. The warships reportedly departed from the Asia-Pacific region last week.
Tensions between the two countries have further escalated in recent weeks due to a sweeping crackdown by Iranian authorities on nationwide protests triggered by the country’s worsening economic conditions.
Trump claimed that Iran had cancelled the execution of nearly 840 prisoners under pressure from his threats. “I told them if those people were hanged, you would be hit so hard you’ve never seen anything like it. Compared to what we did to your nuclear program, it would be nothing,” he said.
According to Trump, the executions were halted just one hour before they were due to be carried out, calling the decision “a good sign.”
However, he warned that the United States would strike Iran again if it attempted to restart its nuclear program. “If they try again, they’ll have to do it somewhere else. And we’ll hit them there just as easily,” he said.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said it has been unable to verify Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium for at least seven months. The agency estimates that Iran possesses around 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60 percent—an amount that could be sufficient to produce up to ten nuclear bombs if further enriched.
Meanwhile, protests that began on December 28 over economic hardship have spread across Iran. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said it had confirmed at least 4,519 deaths so far. In an interview with Reuters, an Iranian official claimed the death toll had exceeded 5,000, including about 500 members of the security forces.
Asked about the number of people killed, Trump said, “Nobody knows for sure… but whatever the number is, it’s very high.”
